Vendors at Dong Ba Market (Hue City) report that ducks and chickens are prohibited from sale, leading to their distribution to remote areas where they are sold without restrictions; buyers can purchase as much as they want.
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Local authorities are still “inactive,” waiting to implement disease control measures, which is why ducklings are still being sold at Huong Can Market (Huong Toan Commune, Huong Tra District). |
As we stopped our vehicle in front of the poultry section at No Market (Phu Duong Commune, Phu Vang District), two vendors approached and offered us four ducks. The price for a pair of ducks had dropped from 45,000 VND to just 20,000 VND.
The vendors assured us: “These ducks have passed inspection, so you can buy with confidence!” However, there was no sign of any inspection authority on the ducks or in the cages. One vendor explained: “People only sell ducks that look healthy!”
Mr. Trung from the market management board noted: “It seems that the commune will have specific measures starting November 15, as there haven’t been any until now. The veterinary department does their work; we don’t know, though sometimes we see them at the market.”
At Huong Can Market (Huong Toan Commune, Huong Tra District), a basket of ducklings was still available for sale. An elderly woman purchasing eight ducklings said: “I know everything; I watch TV, I know! I’m also scared, but if we don’t raise ducks, what will my husband and I do to make a living?”
Upon noticing the reporter, the duck vendor quickly stopped selling, even though there were customers asking to buy.
At 10:30 AM on October 11, the reporter visited An Lo Market (Phong Dien District) and found no sign of poultry. A vendor who had just sold out was busy tying her cage to the vehicle and mentioned that she had sold over 20 ducks that morning, adding that if someone wanted to buy, they could follow her; she had plenty.
When asked about inspections, she hesitated: “I think there will be inspections tomorrow; there haven’t been any in recent days. I’m a local, who would stop me?”
Upon hearing the question about inspections, a woman buying chickens for resale chimed in: “Why do we need inspections for selling chickens? Eating today won’t kill us! Here, people eat freely at ceremonies and weddings. These days, ducks are cheaper, so people are eating more than on the fifth day of the fifth month.”
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Ducks are still being released in the fields along National Highway 1A in Huong Tra District. |
The city markets operate “guerrilla-style.”
In recent days, at several large markets in Hue City, such as Dong Ba and Tay Loc, the consumption of poultry has significantly decreased, and fewer birds are on display. The number of customers has also dropped.
At these markets, vendors have started selling balut (fertilized duck eggs) for just 1,000 VND each (during last year’s outbreak, the price dropped to 500 VND each).
According to the reporter’s findings, customers seeking to buy eggs, chickens, and ducks at this time all assert that the disease has not reached Hue; moreover, poultry is currently at a low price. Many are deliberately buying chickens and ducks to stock up before November 25, when businesses will officially commit to halting breeding, selling, slaughtering, and transporting poultry as mandated by the city authorities.
Starting tomorrow (November 15), Hue will also implement a ban on cockfighting and street sales of pet birds.
Currently, most pet bird shops on the streets of Hue only display empty cages, agreeing to lead customers to secret stashes only after negotiating prices.
Quang Nam