Held once a year, Ong Ta Dong leaf market is known for shopping for Chung cake wrapping materials during the Lunar New Year. The special feature of the market is the fresh green Dong leaves sold all over the sidewalks.
On the occasion of Lunar New Year, different from the bustling buying and selling every year, this year the dong leaf market at Ong Ta intersection (Tan Binh district) is less bustling because purchasing power has decreased.
According to some traders, maintaining the quality of dong leaves is very important, the leaves can wither if not preserved properly. The advantages of dong leaves are shiny green, tough, and large, so they are popular with many people. The price of dong leaves ranges from 60,000 to 80,000 VND/bunch.
Some traders said that the unstable economy and the increasing number of places selling ready-made banh chung made the market gloomy. In addition, some items such as banh chung molds were also chosen by people to suit the needs of each family.
Although it is a temporary job that only takes place during Tet, selling dong leaves in Ho Chi Minh City during this time brings a relatively high income for sellers. However, this year, the purchase volume has decreased, so the income of small traders has also decreased by 30% compared to previous years.
''Every year I come here to buy dong leaves to wrap banh chung instead of buying pre-wrapped banh chung. I wrap the banh chung myself to ensure the quality and help my family gather around the pot of banh chung,'' said Ms. Mai (76 years old, Phu Nhuan).
Over 70 years old, Mrs. Tam (Phu Nhuan district) took advantage of the evening to buy dong leaves to wrap banh chung. "This year, my family wrapped more than 50 banh chung. Missing banh chung means missing Tet, so no matter how busy we are, we still have to wrap banh chung to have some atmosphere," Mrs. Tam shared.
''At the end of the year, I buy dong leaves from gardens in Hoc Mon district (HCMC), Gia Kiem district ( Dong Nai )... to resell for profit. If I don't sell all the dong leaves, I use them to wrap banh chung for the whole family to eat during Tet,'' said Ms. Ha Thi Nhung (58 years old, Hoc Mon).
This special dong leaf market only opens at the end of the year, from December 25 to 29. Some traders who have been selling dong leaves at this market for many years said they have never seen such a quiet atmosphere as this year. Traders are importing goods sparingly because purchasing power has decreased while prices remain stable.
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