On God of Fortune Day this year, Mr. Nguyen Trung’s grilled snakehead fish shop, in Tan Phu district sells more than 5 tons of fish, with an average price of 200,000 VND per fish.($1=24,000 VND)

At dawn on January 31 (January 10), nearly a dozen shops on Tan Ky Tan Quy Street were busy grilling snakehead fish and selling it on night to serve customers during the festival of the God of Wealth.

The seller said that this street has been selling grilled snakehead fish for more than 20 years. Every year, every two days before the God of Fortune, the shops import thousands of snakehead fish, dozens of times more than usual, and have to hire people to grill overnight.

At 6 o’clock, Mr. Nguyen Trung’s grilled snakehead fish shop was bustling on a street corner. From the yard to the sidewalk, more than 30 employees hustle to grill, pack fish, and invite customers to buy. The owner of the shop must hire more people to work in time to meet the demand for grilled fish on the occasion of the God of Wealth.

Mr. Trung is busy grilling fish with everyone in his family. According to the shop owner, this year imported 3,500 snakehead fish from Binh Dien wholesale market (District 8), an increase of nearly 1,000 fish compared to last year, while normally only selling about 100 fish per day.

“This time, the price of fish is higher than every year. I took it as a wholesale price of 70,000 VND per kg. However, this year there is no longer affected by the disease, so the trade is more bustling,” said the 67-year-old man.

Many people go inside to choose grilled snakehead fish. The wholesale price is higher than usual, so grilled fish also increases to 180,000-240,000 VND per fish, depending on the size.

Every year on this day, Mr. Phong Vinh in Tan Binh district buys two grilled fish. “The house is near, so I go out early to buy delicious fish for Mr. Than Tai’s soul. I hope the business will prosper in the new year. This year, the selling price has increased by more than 20,000 VND compared to the previous year,” said the 70-year-old man.

Many technology motorbike taxis, delivery … constantly pull over to the roadside to buy grilled fish for customers. “Morning is the most ‘explosive’ order because everyone wants to worship early, so it’s crowded, you have to wait nearly ten minutes to buy fish,” a shipper said.

After the guests choose the fish, they will be added with onion fat, roasted peanuts wrapped in foil. Fish for offerings must be whole, without cutting the fins or scraping off the scales.

Inside Mr. Trung’s house, thousands of grilled snakehead fish with sugar cane are neatly arranged on the shelves. Staff are busy making vegetables, making fish sauce… served with fish.

Around 7 am, the number of buyers is crowded, some times there is a local traffic jam on Tan Ky Tan Quy Street.

Also on this street, many other small merchants selling votive paper, roasted meat, and fruit… are also busy trading on the day of the God of Wealth.

 ( According to vnexpress )