Bustling flower market on Women’s Day Prices of flowers during this year’s International Women’s Day (March 8) have gone up sharply by 10-20% due to an inadequate supply of fresh flowers, especially in the larger cities. In the days leading up to the special occasion for women, the fresh flower markets in Hanoi have been busier than usual. On major streets such as Lang, Kim Ma, Nguyen Phong Sac and Ho Tung Mau, pavement shops are full of a variety of floral arrangements. A large volume of fresh flowers were consumed during the year’s largest traditional festival – the lunar New Year (Tet). Consequently, it has been difficult to replenish the supply to meet the increasing demand on Women’s Day. The most favoured flowers are roses, lilies, daisies, orchids and carnations. The average price for a branch of roses ranges between VND15,000-20,000 (nearly US$1), or threefold the usual price. A branch of lilies is selling for VND25,000-30,000, up VND5,000-8,000 compared to what it was several days ago. Each basket of flowers has an average price of VND120,000 (US$6). Some special baskets may sell for millions of Vietnamese dong depending on the types of flowers and decorations. Those baskets worth millions of VND are often made of expensive and rare flowers like Dia Lan or Lan Ho Diep (orchids), Da Lat roses, and tulips, and decorated with special materials such as crystal or silk. Many shopkeepers report they started receiving orders days before March 8 as consumers try to avoid the higher prices on the special day. Services like flower telegrams are also becoming more and more popular these days. Lan Anh, a flower shopkeeper in Cau Giay district in Hanoi, said the busiest day is March 7, one day before the official occasion. This year, consumers most often have been selecting normal flower baskets with prices ranging between VND150,000-200,000 (US$7-10). Other types of gifts for women are also on sale with huge discounts, such as jewellery, clothing, and cosmetics. Many fashion brand names have launched huge advertising campaigns to stimulate sales. A number of supermarkets and shopping malls have also taken this occasion to launch advertising campaigns –  focusing on home utensils, particularly kitchen tools. VOV