This year, there has been a shrink in the number of purveyors and buyers at the Tet flower market than in previous years due to the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, those making a living here hope to have more buyers in the last days of the Tet flower market to come back home soon to celebrate the most important moment of the year with their loved ones.

Mr Huynh Tan Sang and his bonsai and bougainvillea pots at Tet flower market. Photo: XUAN SON

“Everybody wants to have joyful Tet”

Mr Huynh Tan Sang, from Tuy Hoa City, Phu Yen Province, has sold ornamental plants for Tet such as bougainvillaea, bonsai for many years but this Lunar New Year is the first time he runs his business at the Da Nang Tet flower market at March 29 Square.

According to Mr Sang, the slow purchasing at the market is normal because of the impacts of the coronavirus resurgence and people’s financial difficulties. The good thing is that everyone coming here is gentle, happy, friendly and guaranteed security is also one of the reasons why all businesses are comfortable.

During Tet in previous years, he went to the Dak Lak and Gia Lai provinces in Central Highlands to sell ornamental plants. In some years, he enjoyed prosperous sales so he could return home before New Year's Eve. In contrast, there were also tough times when the flower market was sluggish so he and other peers spended more time at the market to earn more and then returned home on the 1^st day of the Lunar New Year.

Mr Sang has not been able to welcome the moment of transferring the old year to the new year with his wife and children in his hometown for 3-4 years due to those poor Tet flower markets.

He confided about his worries about the trees that have not been sold out a lot before New Year's Eve; about the cost of renting a business plot, transporting and loading ornamental plants.

“Everybody here wants to sell at a good price, sell a lot to come home to celebrate Tet early with our family. Everyone wants to have Tet”, he shared while camping alone beside the potted plants waiting for customers on the last nights of the year.

A customer buys a peach blossom tree for Tet. Photo: XUAN SON

“Selling ornamental plants for Tet is hard but fun”

According to Mr Le Thong, a keeper of the ornamental kumquats and peach blossom trees of the garden of Mr Le Trung, residing in Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province, the garden has 4 yards to sell Tet trees in Da Nang, Quang Ngai and Tam Ky, Hoi An.

The number of trees sold was lower as compared to the time before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The current price of a tree is from a few hundred thousand to more than VND10 million per tree.

He usually goes to sell flowers and ornamental plants during Tet every year, sometimes his hands are exhausted due to carrying a large pot, but everyone here is happy because they can sell tree.

Customers usually buy kumquats in the daytime since then they can clearly see the shape of the tree, see if the fruit is good or bad. There are even customers who go shopping at night and bring flashlights with them.

Mr. Thong said that gardeners are ready to lease ornamental kumquats in case they cannot sell them before New Year's Eve. If no one rents them, they will take them back to the garden.

Mr. Le Thong (left) transports ornamental kumquats to bring them home to customers. Photo: XUAN SON

“Selling Tet trees is fun, fortunately, we have a tent to sleep in and a place to lie down to stay warm under the frost. I just hope to finish selling it before the afternoon of the 29th of the lunar calendar to go back to rest and celebrate Tet after a hard year," said Thong.

According to statistics of Da Nang Park and Green Tree Company, the number of garden houses renting plots after the auction at the Tiger New Year 2022 flower market on March 29 Square is less than every year.

There are few sellers as well as few buyers. Those who make a living at the end of the year here can only hope and be optimistic about a peaceful Tet with more buyers in the last days of the Tet flower market.

Reporting by XUAN SON- Translating by T.VY