Vegetable prices increase sharply after flood

After the flood, the entire vegetable growing area was "wiped out". Photo: Thanh Phuc

Heavy rains lasting nearly 10 days have destroyed 3 acres of mustard greens of Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy (Quynh Thach commune, Quynh Luu district), and 3 rows of Malabar spinach that were about to be harvested for the first time were also flooded. “The heavy rain crushed all the leaves. When the water receded and the sun came out, the leaves quickly wilted and turned yellow. Now we have to pull them out, compost them, and sow another crop. There is no way to save them,” Ms. Thuy said.

Not only vegetables grown in gardens and fields were severely affected by heavy rains, but greenhouses and net houses were also damaged.

Heavy rain and floodwaters from upstream caused 2,000 square meters of greenhouses growing mustard greens and cucumbers owned by Mr. Tran Khac Tham (Trung Phuc Cuong commune, Nam Dan district) to be submerged in floodwaters. Currently, after more than 10 days, the water in the greenhouses is still up to the calves, and the entire area of ​​mustard greens, spinach, and mustard greens has wilted. “These vegetables were intended for customers who had pre-ordered them. However, the heavy rains have submerged everything, and the supply has also been interrupted,” said Mr. Tham.

Many greenhouses are damaged, vegetables are crushed, people are repairing them to plant new crops. Photo: Thanh Phuc

The recent heavy rains, most ofvegetable areawere “wiped out”, crushed, damaged, only a few vegetables grown in greenhouses, net houses, hydroponic vegetables were still harvested. Areas that were not flooded were destroyed and chewed by rats. Meanwhile, the supply of vegetables in other provinces and cities at this time was also scarce because it was not the main harvest season. That was the reason for pushing vegetable prices in traditional markets as well as supermarkets and food stores to high levels.

According to a survey, currently, in traditional markets, vegetable prices have increased by 30-50%, some types even increased 2-3 times compared to before the flood. Specifically, water spinach increased from 5,000-7,000 VND to 10,000-12,000 VND/bunch; mustard greens increased from 15,000 VND/kg to 25,000-27,000 VND/kg; green beans increased from 25,000 VND/kg to 35,000-37,000 VND/kg; Malabar spinach increased from 12,000-15,000 VND/bunch. As for tubers and fruits, prices fluctuated slightly, accordingly, green squash, pumpkin, potatoes, cucumbers, carrots increased by 5,000-7,000 VND/kg.

Vegetables at traditional markets are quite scarce and not as diverse as before. Photo: Thanh Phuc

Ms. Nguyen Thi Dao, a wholesaler of vegetables inVinh marketsaid: “Normally, we import vegetables from the growing areas in the province such as Quynh Luu, Hoang Mai Town, Dien Chau, Nam Dan... to sell, but currently, these areas do not have a source to supply the market due to heavy rain and floods, and the vegetables are in the "pre-harvest" stage and have not yet been harvested, so they are also scarcer. In addition, because we mainly import vegetables from other provinces, the transportation distance is long, and the shipping fee is also added to the vegetable price. Therefore, the increase in vegetable prices is understandable. However, compared to the same period last year, at this time, vegetable prices have nearly doubled.”

Meanwhile, vegetable prices have increased sharply, some types have doubled or even tripled. Photo: Thanh Phuc

Vegetable prices have increased, but according to Ms. Dao, not every day there are enough vegetables to sell wholesale. There are days when we contact all the sources but can only get 70% of the quantity of goods compared to market demand; the types of vegetables are not as diverse as before. Mainly tubers and fruits because this type has increased the least in price; followed by water spinach, mustard greens, eggplant, etc.

At supermarkets and clean food stores, vegetable prices have also increased sharply. Of which, the highest increase is in leafy vegetables and spices. According to a survey, cabbage, amaranth, water spinach, Malabar spinach... at supermarkets and stores have increased by 7,000-10,000 VND/kg; green beans, cauliflower, kohlrabi... have increased by 5,000 VND/kg.

As for some types of vegetables and fruits, the prices fluctuate less than before. This is also the type of vegetable that housewives prioritize choosing more in their daily menu. Photo: Thanh Phuc

Not only in urban areas, rural areas,Vegetable prices also increasedDue to prolonged heavy rain, gardens were flooded and vegetables died due to waterlogging, so people had to buy vegetables to eat instead of being "self-sufficient" like before.

The price of green vegetables has increased and the scarcity has caused many difficulties for consumers, forcing them to think more carefully when spending.

Currently, people in the growing areas have restored production and planted new crops. If the weather is favorable in just a few weeks, the vegetable supply will be abundant. Photo: Thanh Phuc

According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung - Deputy Head of the Cultivation Department, the provincial Department of Cultivation and Plant Protection, the shortage of vegetable supply only occurs at a certain time due to floods and damaged winter vegetables. In the next month, the weather will be favorable, the growing areas will be restored, short-term vegetables such as mustard greens and chrysanthemum greens will be harvested, at that time, vegetable prices will stabilize again...