Long before sunrise, trucks, traders and fishmongers converged on Binh Dien wholesale market as Ho Chi Minh City’s biggest carp hub sprang to life, supplying thousands of households preparing offerings for the annual Kitchen Gods’ worshiping day.
At 2 a.m. on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, the market was already buzzing with activity. Known as the city’s largest wholesale center for seafood, livestock, poultry, and fresh produce, Binh Dien plays a pivotal role in feeding Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding provinces and on this day each year, carp becomes the star commodity.
Dozens of tons of live fish were delivered overnight, then quickly sorted and packed. Workers pumped oxygen into plastic bags to keep the carp alive before loading them onto trucks bound for traditional markets across the city. Traders from neighboring areas arrived early to handpick bright red, healthy fish, prized by customers for ritual releases.
Despite the frenetic pace, vendors noted that trading volumes have fallen compared with previous years.
Huynh Yen, a fish wholesaler at the market, said carp prices this season range from VND60,000 to VND90,000 per kilogram depending on size and color. Her business imported just 4 to 5 tons of fish, about 40 percent of last year’s volume, citing fewer wholesale orders and softer retail demand.
Nearby, Muoi Sang, another wholesale trader, echoed the concern. She said carp prices last year sometimes topped VND200,000 per kilogram, but have dropped sharply this season, weighing on profits.
The annual rush is tied to longstanding Vietnamese folk beliefs. On the 23rd day of the final lunar month, the Kitchen Gods are believed to ascend to heaven to report a household’s deeds to the Jade Emperor. Families offer carp symbolizing the gods’ journey before releasing the fish, a ritual that reflects hopes for peace, prosperity, and good fortune in the year ahead.
)
