Behind the colorful flowers...
(Baonghean)In Thanh Vinh during the last days of the year, the flower and ornamental plant market is bustling. Flowers fill the streets, and potted kumquats, apricot blossoms, and peach branches arrive by truck and train from all over, contributing to beautifying countless homes for Tet (Lunar New Year). This is also the "peak season" for flower growers and sellers. However, this year's Year of the Cat brings a shared feeling of "more sadness than joy" for both growers and sellers of ornamental plants...
This year's weather has been unfavorable for flower growers. The prolonged, severe cold spell lasting for months has caused considerable difficulties for those cultivating ornamental plants and flowers. The peach blossom trees, meticulously cared for throughout the year, with their leaves pruned and branches trimmed in preparation for Tet (Lunar New Year), have remained dormant due to the harsh weather. The rows of chrysanthemums and marigolds have also failed to bloom. Ms. Nguyen Thi Tham, a flower grower in Hamlet 4, Nghi Lien (Nghi Loc District, Nghe An Province), said: “This year, my family planted nearly 1,000 chrysanthemum plants, but only about half bloomed in time for Tet. The rest will have to wait until the 15th day of the first lunar month to be cut and sold. The flowers aren't beautiful, so they're not selling well, and the prices aren't good. This year, flower growers are really suffering losses...”
Equally struggling are the flower vendors. Traveling from North to South with shipments brimming with hope, they've found the Tet flower market in Vinh City this year remarkably quiet. Even on the 29th day of the lunar month, kumquats, apricot blossoms, peach blossoms, and various other flowers are still displayed everywhere on the main streets. There are many sellers but few buyers; most are just browsing and checking prices. This is partly because, following the historic floods of 2010, people's lives have become difficult, forcing them to cut back on buying flowers and ornamental plants for Tet to allocate funds to other things. It's also partly due to the harsh weather, which has resulted in flowers not blooming properly or of poor quality, thus deterring buyers.
From the 24th day of the Lunar New Year, Mr. Nguyen Van Ngoc (from Binh Dinh province) and his son rented a truck to transport 30 pots of apricot blossoms to Vinh, renting an empty space in front of the park to sell the flowers. They pitched a makeshift tent, and in the rain and cold, the two of them shivered, surviving on bread and instant noodles for a whole week. At night, they took turns sleeping to guard the pots of apricot blossoms. It was hard work and hardship, but "there are only a few days like this each year to make a living, so we have to endure it. Unexpectedly, this year, the goods are selling so poorly; at the last minute, we've only managed to sell 5 pots at a 'low' price. We're sure to lose money..."
Along the streets, flower vendors from all over the country share the same precarious living conditions as Mr. Ngoc, and the same feeling of "more sadness than joy" due to the sluggish market. In the days leading up to Tet, people are busy shopping with their families, while flower vendors have to travel far from home to earn money for the holiday. Many only pack their bags and return to their hometowns to celebrate Tet with their families on the afternoon of the 30th. "It would be better if we could sell our goods and make a profit. This year, the Tet flowers are selling so poorly, it's really depressing. Now, we've resigned ourselves to selling everything off at rock-bottom prices so we can go home for Tet. In previous years, by the time we sold everything and caught a bus home, the New Year's Eve moment had already passed," one Tet flower vendor lamented.
The city is ablaze with colorful flowers. Behind those spring blossoms lie the sweat, the hard work, and even the tears of the flower growers and vendors...
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