Egg and leafy-vegetable prices fall sharply in Ho Chi Minh City

Egg and leafy-vegetable prices in Ho Chi Minh City have fallen sharply since the Tet holiday, with declines of 7% to 30% compared with the end of last year. The drop is occurring even as input and transportation costs remain higher, driven by fuel prices.

Egg prices drop after Tet

Market observations at traditional stalls and supermarkets show egg prices easing quickly after Tet. Duck eggs, grade 1, are currently priced at 30,000-38,000 dong per dozen, down 5,000-11,000 dong (about 7% to 25%) from before Tet.

Free-range chicken eggs, grade 1, fell from around 42,000 dong to about 34,000 dong per dozen. Smaller sizes are trading at 26,000-28,000 dong per dozen, down 20% to 30%. Commercial chicken eggs are commonly sold at 28,000-34,000 dong per dozen. The decline is described as the steepest in three years.

Leafy greens and other vegetables cool

Vegetable prices have also cooled. Leafy greens such as bok choy, choy sum, Napa cabbage, and other greens are widely priced at 20,000-30,000 dong per kg, down about 10,000 dong from before Tet.

Gourds including bottle gourds, gourds, and zucchini are priced at 10,000-15,000 dong per kg, down 50%. Items that surged near Tet—such as bitter melon, tomatoes, and Dalat lettuce—have fallen from around 70,000 dong per kg to about 30,000 dong.

Wholesale supply increases

At wholesale markets, the price decline is supported by higher supply. Cabbage, gourds, bottle gourds, and loofahs are now 5,000-9,000 dong per kg. Bitter melon on April 7 fell by 5,000 dong from the previous day to 10,000 dong per kg, the lowest level since the start of the year.

Vegetable arrivals at Thu Duc wholesale market reached 1,704 tons on April 7, up 8.7% from the previous day and 15% higher than before Tet.

Government data shows continued downward trend

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment, in March, prices of eggs, greens, and many fruits fell by more than 10% compared with February and continued to trend downward in April. Chicken eggs declined by about 2,500 dong per 10-egg tray.

Weak demand and better weather weigh on prices

Ms Hanh, a stallholder at Xom Moi market, said the declines are mainly due to weak demand alongside abundant supply. Compared with the same period last year, favorable weather with less rain early helped greens develop well, reducing pests and extending shelf life.

More output from growing regions

The supply trend is also reflected in production from growing areas. A representative of a vegetable cooperative in Long An (now Tay Ninh) said current output delivered to the market is about 1-1.2 tons per day, up from around 700 kg in the same period last year and nearly double that of the end of last year.

Egg market pressured by export difficulties and high inventories

The supply-demand pressure is spreading to eggs as well. Mr. Truong Chi Thien, CEO of Vin Thanh Dat JSC, said the export market to Cambodia is facing difficulties, causing eggs to return to the domestic market and increasing supply. At the same time, demand remains weak and large inventories continue to push prices down, particularly when inventory eggs are sold cheaply outside the market, pressuring new eggs.

Rising costs squeeze producers

While selling prices fall, production costs continue to rise. Ms Lam Thuy Ai, CEO of Mebi Farm JSC, said input costs have increased steadily and demand has fallen by about 30%. Feed accounts for more than 70% of production costs, so price fluctuations have pushed total production costs up about 35%, while selling prices cannot adjust accordingly.

Ms Ai said producers must keep production to preserve the supply chain and employment, meaning they must accept losses. “The ability to incur losses is nearly exhausted,” she said.

The combined pressure of sharply lower selling prices and higher input costs is pushing many livestock enterprises into difficulties, while the outlook for consumption shows no clear improvement.