Before storm No. 5, Nghe An people rushed to buy necessities

Crowds jostle to buy food, many markets "sold out" from early morning

From the early morning of August 24, at Coi market (Vinh Loc ward), Quan Lau market (Truong Vinh ward), Vinh market, Mai Trang market (Cua Lo), Rang market (Dai Dong commune)... people flocked to the market. The meat, fish, and vegetable stalls were always crowded with people jostling and competing to buy goods.

At Coi market, by 8:30 a.m., all the meat stalls were sold out. Ms. Hoang Thi Anh, a pork trader here, was clearing her stall and breathing a sigh of relief: “In just one hour, I sold out 100 kg of meat. There were so many people buying, I have to ask my family to quickly slaughter more to get it to the market in time.”

Similarly, at Vinh market, Ms. Nguyen Hoang Tuyet, a meat vendor, was equally busy: “This morning I sold 3 pigs, both wholesale and retail. Now people still come to buy a lot, but honestly, I am very tired, not enough energy to serve them.”

Not only meat, sea fish and fresh fish are also in short supply. Ms. Ho Thi Thu, a fishmonger at Hung Dung market, said: "Knowing that the storm would bring increased purchasing power, this morning I prepared extra stock, thinking I would have enough to sell. Unexpectedly, people bought so much that it was all sold out by morning. I had to call relatives to bring fish up two more times, but it was all sold out."

Green vegetables, tubers, and fruits are even "hotter". Pumpkins, potatoes, carrots, etc. were all bought up in just a few hours. Ms. Pham Thi Dao, a vegetable vendor, said: "This morning I brought 300 kg of vegetables and tubers to the market, but by 9am there was not a single stalk left. Many people who came late stood there shaking their heads because they couldn't buy anything."

Not only in traditional markets, supermarkets and grocery stores are also crowded. People choose to buy instant noodles, dried pho, seaweed, dried foods... to prepare for long rainy days, even when there is a power outage. "Stock up for storms, having some instant noodles and ready-to-eat foods at home is more secure," said Ms. Le Thi Thu, a citizen of Vinh Loc ward.

Respond calmly, avoid waste

According to observations, the shopping “fever” comes not only from actual needs but also from anxiety and fear of shortages of goods. When news of the storm came, people saw each other stocking up at the market, so they encouraged each other to buy. In just the morning, the scene of jostling, carrying bags, and empty shelves became a familiar image everywhere.

A representative of the Nghe An Department of Industry and Trade said: The supply of goods in the area is abundant, and there is a reserve plan in place. Storm No. 5 will only have a direct impact for 6-12 hours, followed by heavy rain lasting 2-3 days. Therefore, people should not be too worried, and there is no need to rush to stockpile too much food.

In fact, suppliers, supermarkets, and stores have all prepared plans to replenish goods in a timely manner. After the storm, goods from other localities will continue to be transported. Therefore, if people want to prepare for heavy rain and are afraid to go to the market, it is reasonable to buy enough for a few days.

Many housewives, when they calm down, also realize that massive hoarding is unnecessary. Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan, Truong Vinh ward, shared: "Seeing everyone buying too much, I was worried and bought more than usual. But thinking again, the storm will only last a few days, vegetables can be bought later, but buying too much will easily spoil, a waste of money."

People’s concerns are understandable, but if everyone hoards too much, it will lead to a local “supply not meeting demand” situation, causing unnecessary panic. Instead of buying and storing large quantities, families can choose foods that are easy to preserve such as dried fish, instant noodles, canned foods, and some spare vegetables and tubers.

More importantly, we need to trust in the market regulation and abundant supply that the authorities have affirmed. When each person has reasonable consumption habits and avoids being swept away by the crowd, the market will be stable, the supply of goods will be guaranteed, and the community will be able to overcome natural disasters with peace of mind.