Vendors enjoy higher food prices before Tet

Prices of several kinds of goods at markets in HCM City are expected to keep rising after steady increases in recent days, Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Sai Gon) newspaper reported.

The prices of vegetables and fruit had increased by VND2,000 – VND3,000 per kilo during the last week, Tu, a small trader at Bui Van Ba market in District 7 said.

Common vegetables such as cucumber were continually going up. On Monday , the price of cucumber at the market was VND10,000 (US$0.48) per kilo, tomato VND8,000 – VND9,000 and watermelon VND12,000 – VND13,000.

Pig’s trotter was VND69,000 – VND70,000 per kilo at Ba Chieu market (Binh Thanh District), VND70,000 – VND72,000 at Bui Van Ba market and VND74,000 at Ho Thi Ky market (District 10).

Similarly, supplies of many price-stabilised goods including sugar and cooking oil were running low at markets near Hiep Phuoc industrial park (Nha Be District) and Tan Thuan Tay market (District 7).

Be Tu, a customer in Nha Be District complained that she had to buy cooking oil at a price higher than the stablised price by VND5,000 – VND7,000 per litre.

For instance, well-known cooking oil brands including Tuong An, MeiZan and Neptune were sold at sky-high prices of VND45,000, VND35,000 and VND43,000 per litre, respectively, while the price of normal cooking oil was VND24,500 per litre.

At a Co.op Food store under price-stabilisation programme at Nha Be District’s Hiep Binh Phuoc industrial park, customers have to queue everyday to buy sugar of Thanh Cong JSC.

Though the company said they had increased stocks to 200 tonnes of sugar per month, the supplies were not enough.

The newspaper reported that there was no order to the prices at different markets, and traders were pushing for more profits.

A fruit trader at Tan Thuan Tay market said the prices posted on small boards went out of date at the end of last week.

At a fruit stand at Tran Nhan Ton (District 10), the owner asked for VND13,000 per kilo of watermelon while the posted price was only VND10,000.

The authorities should put a stop to traders who “cry wine and sell vinegar,” the paper said. — VNS

Tags: Vietnam food prices