Lack of supply drives up HCMC vegetable prices

Lettuce and broccoli cost VND10,000 (US$0.4) to VND50,000 and VND70,000 per kilogram.

Lan, a vegetable seller at the Pham Van Hai Market in Tan Binh District, said supply to her stall was down by 10% since reportedly the volume of goods arriving at wholesale markets had decreased.

"[This] has caused the prices of vegetables to increase by 5-15%."

Hoa, chairman of a vegetable cooperative in the southern Tien Giang Province, said the prices of vegetables sold to the Thu Duc wholesale market in HCMC have risen sharply because the recent prolonged rains hit output.

The output at his cooperative was 50% lower than usual, he said.

The Thu Duc Wholesale Market management said demand for vegetables has increased amid the declining supply, causing prices to rise.