HCMCity (VNS/VNA) - With just a few days to go for Tet (Lunar New Year), sales of goodsused to celebrate the holidays have increased sharply, according toretailers.

They are expected to peak three days ahead of Tet,they said.

A spokesperson for Saigon Co.op said since the end of last week sales of localfruits, nutritious foods such as edible bird’s nest, sugar-coated fruits, andsweets are up 20-70 percent from normal periods.

Saigon Co.op’s retail chains have also reported an increase of 21-57 percent insales of household utensils such as bowls, plates, trays, pots, pans,buckets, knives, cutting boards, and clothing, and an increase of 9-15 percentin sales of cattle and poultry meat, eggs and vegetables.

Aeon supermarkets nationwide have seen a sharp increase in the number ofshoppers, with sales increasing by 20 percent during weekends compared to ayear ago.

Bui Trung Chinh, purchasing manager of Aeon Vietnam's foodline, said with thepositive signs in the market, Aeon expects sales increase by 20 percent this Tet.

Bach Hoa Xanh reported a 20-30 percent rise in sales compared to normaldays. The supermarket chain said it has stocked abundantly and prices arestable.

Lotte Mart and MM Mega Market supermarkets reported sharp increases in thenumber of shoppers in recent days.

At traditional markets and food stores in HCM City, demand for pork has shot upin recent days.

According to the Dong Nai Livestock Association, the number of pigs shipped tothe Hoc Mon wholesale market in HCM City currently is 5,000 a day, 1,000 morethan earlier this month.

Higher demand for pork has pushed the price of pig on the hoof up by 10,000 VNDa kilogram to 60,000 VND, helping farmers to make a small profit, it said,adding that the supply of pigs is abundant.

Nguyen Ngoc Thang, director of Co.opmart'soperation division, said consumers are shopping later this year thanlast for Tet.

Based on the cooperative’s forecast that people will soon start shopping forfood products, Co.opmart and Co.opXtra supermarkets will offer discounts of20-50 percent on around 100 fresh and chilled food items, ready-to-cook foods,confectionery, sugar-coated fruits and sweets.

They will extend their opening hours from 7am to 10pm between January 25 and 27and from 6am to 10pm between January 28 and 30.

On the last day of the lunar year which falls on January 31, they will workfrom 6am to 10am.

On January 25, deputy chairman of the city People's Committee Phan ThiThang and officials from the Department of Industry and Trade and otherdepartments and agencies visited a number of producers and retailers in thecity to check their preparations.

Thang appreciated businesses for their early and good preparation, greatervariety of products they have stocked compared to last year, and theirpromotion programmes.

“We hope businesses continue to look for goods sources that ensure both qualityand affordable prices,” she said.

With the Lunar New Year fast approaching, year-end parties in HCM City anddemand for gifts have doubled demand for expensive seafood products.

Tran Van Truong, owner of Hoàng Gia high-end seafood chain, said expensiveimported seafood like king crabs, lobsters, abalone, and red scallops is ingreat demand.

Their domestic counterparts such as Ca Mau crab and snails, used as part of Tet gift hampers, are also popular, hesaid.

He has imported Caribbe lobsters for the first time, by air, and of thetwo tonnes, half has been booked by restaurants and hotels.

Truong said Caribbe lobsters are very large, weighing between 1.5 and fourkilogrammes.

Since they cost around 2.6 million VND (113 USD) per kilogrammes, a single lobster costs 4-10 million VND(174-435 USD).

Nguyen Thuy Quynh Nhu, manager of The Alaska Guys Vietnam in District 7, saidthe store's Tet gifts focuson beautifully packaged salmon and cod fishes costing 2-4 million VND./.