Many florists in Ho Chi Minh City have hesitated to restock and voiced concerns over slow sales on Vietnamese Women’s Day (October 20) because the demand for flowers was expected to be sluggish.

Nguyen Thi Bich, owner of a flower shop on Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Street in Binh Thanh District, said on Saturday that while rose prices have slightly decreased compared to the same period last year, customers are preferring more affordable options.

“I did not dare to restock my shop with flowers as shoppers seemed to be shying away from purchases," Bich lamented.

“A few years ago, up to 40 percent of shop's flowers were sold on October 19, but this year, just 20-25 percent here found buyers.”

She hoped that the demand would be higher on Vietnamese Women’s Day.

Do Hung Manh, owner of a florist’s on Pham Van Dong Boulevard in Thu Duc City, also reported weak sales.

At his flower shop, a rose branch sells for VND15,000 (US$0.6), while the price of a bouquet ranges from VND200,000 ($8) to VND700,000 ($28).

“I only dared to refill my shop with an additional 700-800 rose branches for this Women’s Day, down nearly 30 percent against the same occasion in previous years,” Manh said.

Nguyen Minh, a representative from Happy Flower in District 1, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the flower market is entering a slack period during the Women’s Day as financial pressure has forced customers to pinch pennies.

“The shop mainly puts on sale bouquets at more affordable prices than those on offer in previous years. They sell for from VND500,000 [$20] to VND900,000 [$36] each,” he said.

Ly Phu Qui, director of Dam Sen Flower Market in District 11, one of Ho Chi Minh City’s largest wholesale flower markets, said that some 150-170 flower boxes, each containing 30-35 bouquets, were transported to the market on Saturday.

The number of roses fell compared to some years ago.

Qui predicted that while the demand for flowers might rise on Sunday, Vietnamese Women’s Day, prices will likely remain unchanged or could even drop in the afternoon if sales slow.

Many flower garden owners in Lam Dong Province, Vietnam’s flower hub, said that the volume of flowers delivered to Ho Chi Minh City for this year’s occasion decreased compared to previous years.

This was due to unfavorable weather causing low yields and an increased supply to the northern region, which was severely affected by typhoon Yagi in early September.

The typhoon, the third storm to hit Vietnam this year, left hundreds dead or missing and destroyed crops, along with flower gardens.

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