Shoppers cram Ho Chi Minh City’s biggest flower market before Vietnamese Women’s Day

The Ho Thi Ky flower market, a big hub of florists in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, was busier than usual on Tuesday night as the demand for flowers spiked for Vietnamese Women’s Day (October 20).

The flower wholesale market is known for affordability and quality and is open 24 hours a day.

It just reopened at the beginning of this month, with relatively low attendance, after a few months of closure for COVID-19 prevention and control.

As Vietnamese Women’s Day coincides with the middle of the lunar month this year, when many Vietnamese people often worship the full-moon day, the market was crowded on Tuesday evening.

Smaller traders came to pick flowers for their own establishments while retail customers looked for beautiful floral gifts for their beloved ones.

As supplies fell short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, pricing for flowers has slightly increased, according to the owners of floral shops at the Ho Thi Ky market.

“Roses that sold for VND180,000 [US$8] per bouquet on normal days now fetches VND220,000 [$10] apiece,” said Nguyen Thi Xuan Loan, the owner of a local florist’s.

“Instead of making bouquets in advance like previous years, now I only make them when there is an order from customers because I’m afraid that they will not be sold,” Loan added as she expressed her concern over the COVID-19 impacts on spending behaviors.

In addition to floral shops, food and beverage stalls at the Ho Thi Ky market also attracted many customers on Tuesday evening.