With 15 days left until Lunar New Year, the Tet flower market in Ho Chi Minh City has begun to bustle. According to Tuoi Tre Online at Ho Thi Ky flower market (District 10), Northern peach blossoms have been put on shelves, shining brightly, covering the flower stalls with spring colors.

Retailers said hotels, spas, and companies often prioritize ordering peach blossoms early to decorate large spaces, creating a luxurious highlight. Meanwhile, many young people also buy small peach blossoms to take Tet photos. It is predicted that from around December 20, the demand for peach blossoms will increase sharply.

Sharing with Tuoi Tre Online , Ms. Huynh Nhu Ngoc, owner of Ngoc Nhien flower garden at Ho Thi Ky market, said: "Early Tet peach blossoms are very popular, the flower branches can stay fresh for up to 10 days when placed in a vase. However, this year's supply has decreased sharply, due to crop failure in the Northern gardens."

According to Ms. Ngoc, the peach garden she contracts can only supply 700 - 800 branches each year, a significant decrease compared to the previous level of 1,000 - 1,200 branches. Many large peach branches that do not meet standards must be left in the garden for further care, waiting until the next season.

The scarcity has caused the price of peach blossoms to skyrocket. Mini peach branches cost VND500,000 last year and have now increased to VND700,000. Large branches cost up to VND2-3 million, depending on size and beauty. Currently, the cheapest mini peach branches at the stall are around VND300,000.

To make up for the shortage, Ms. Ngoc said she has cooperated with several other small gardens to get goods to meet the Tet market.

Mr. Pham Hoang Thai Duong, CEO of Hoa Yeu Thuong chain, shared: "Unfavorable weather has caused the quality of peach blossoms this year to decrease, while prices have increased. With the difficult economic situation, purchasing power is forecast to not be as strong as in previous years, so we have to consider carefully.

This year, the chain only imported 50 branches to supplement the variety of products, a significant decrease compared to the number of 500 branches in previous years.

Besides the traditional market, the online Tet flower market is also bustling. Many retailers invest heavily in online sales channels such as websites, livestreaming on TikTok and Facebook to reach customers.

Ms. ML - a flower vendor at Ho Thi Ky market (District 10) - said that her flower shop has implemented many online programs to attract online buyers, such as free shipping, 1-1 exchange if the flowers are damaged, and instructions on how to care for flowers to keep them fresh for a long time.

"Our online orders have increased by about 30% compared to last year. I expect the number of orders to increase even more during the two peak weeks before Tet," she shared.