As the legend goes, ong Cong is the one in charge of land while ong Tao, consisting of two males and one female, are those who keep a watch over kitchen affairs of a family. They take note of a family’s issues in a year and will ride carps back to the Heaven on the 23rd day of the last lunar month to report all the good and bad things of that family to the God of Heaven. While the official date is still several days away, many families have begun their celebrations as early as January 18 (the 19th day of the last lunar month).
Traditional and wholesale markets across Hanoi such as Kim Lien (Dong Da district), Thanh Cong (Ba Dinh district), and Nguyen Cong Tru and Hom Duc Vien (Hai Ba Trung district) have offered abundant supplies at stable prices despite increasing demands.
Nguyen Thi Thuan, a fruit vendor at Trai Gang market (Hai Ba Trung district), reported modest price rises for fresh fruits, with dragon fruits at 50,000 – 60,000 VND (1.97-2.37 USD) per kilogramme, watermelon 25,000 – 30,000 VND per kilogramme, and imported Chilean cherries 450,000 – 500,000 VND per kilogramme.
Vegetables remain particularly affordable due to favorable weather conditions, with broccoli at 12,000 – 18,000 VND per kilogramme, carrot 8,000 – 10,000 VND per kilogramme, and cucumber 15,000 VND per kilogramme, among others.
Meanwhile, fresh seafood prices remain steady, with tiger prawns ranging from 250,000 to 400,000 VND per kilogramme, squid 150,000-250,000 VND per kilogramme, and sturgeon at 330,000 VND per kilogramme.
Similarly, meat prices show stability with pork at 130,000-150,000 VND per kilogramme and beef 220,000-270,000 VND per kilogramme, while poultry prices remain competitive with roosters at 110,000-120,000 VND per kilogramme and hens slightly lower at 90,000-100,000 VND per kilogramme.
The red carps for the ritual remain reasonably priced at 25,000-75,000 VND for three fish, depending on sizes. Votive paper offerings and ceremonial items are sold at 50,000-150,000 VND per set.
Supermarkets are also experiencing a 20-30% surge in customer traffic. Go! Thang Long Supermarket's Director Nguyen Minh Tuan said the supermarket increased their stock by 15% compared to the 2024 Lunar New Year, with 90% being high-quality Vietnamese products. Besides, it has joined hands with suppliers to launch promotional programmes to stimulate consumption.
According to Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade Nguyen Kieu Oanh, the city has worked with businesses to increase the inventory by 5-20% as compared to the same time of 2024. Notably, 22 retail enterprises have committed to maintaining stable prices for essential goods throughout the peak shopping season./.
