HCMCity (VNS/VNA) - Companies that import fruits and foods expectlower demand during Tet (Lunar NewYear) next February due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and plan toreduce imports.

Acompany in Binh Thuan province said it has decided to cut fruit imports betweennow and Tet by 50 percent compared to the same period last year despite abundantglobal supply and steady prices.

“Thedemand for imported fruits always exists during Tet,but will definitely decrease this time. So not only our company but also manyothers will tweak their plans. This year we will focus on importing a fewpopular and easy to sell fruits such as apples, pears and grapes."

ButPham Thien Hoang, Director of Pham Hoang Trang Company (which owns GreenSpaceStore), expressed a different opinion, saying Tet isthe season for consuming fresh fruits such as apples and cherries in thehigh-end segment.

Buttheir prices have increased significantly this year because the cost ofharvesting the fruits in major exporting countries of the fruits such as theUS, Australia, and New Zealand have gone up by two to three times due to theimpact of COVID-19, and there is a lack of international flights.

Freshfruit imports are expected to reduce this Tet,while the supply of imported nuts such as pistachios, almonds, walnuts, andpecans will surge, he said.

“Theseare healthy and nutritious foods. Their prices are not too high at about 300,000- 400,000 VND per kilogramme and imported from many countries. In addition,natural dried fruits such as grapes, plums, and apricots are also imported toserve the market in replace sugar-coated fruits," he told Nguoi lao dộng (Labourers) newspaper.

NguyenThanh Hung, owner of a company that imports feng shui gifts and organic andprocessed foods from Russia, said, "The COVID-19 pandemic has made thingsstagnant so we do not dare import as much as in previous years.”

Thetransport cost has increased but his company accepted lower returns to keepprices unchanged, he said.

Butmarket research company Ipsos said despite a turbulent year due to the pandemicpeople’s budgets for Tet arealmost the same as last year.

Theyare somewhat higher in the high-income group, mostly the same in themiddle-income group and down by 15 percent in the low-income group.

Travelabroad this year would be minimal, and so nearly 50 percent would stick to thetradition of going home to celebrate Tet,it said.   

Thiswould increase consumption of food and drinks (confectionery, dried fruits,nuts) but reduce that of tobacco, alcohol, confectionery, and instant foods, itsaid.

Traditionalgift products would be bought as usual.

Accordingto other market research companies, while consumers will still spend during Tet, demand will surely reduce from previousyears./.