Goods piled up

On the occasion of the Year of the Cat, following Hoang Van Deo, Director of the Tan Son Market Management Cooperative, we immersed ourselves in the Tan Son upland market. Just early in the morning, hundreds of motorbikes, trucks and back-bikes transported all kinds of goods to the market.

The bustling shopping atmosphere at the market.

Although the area of Tan Son market is quite large, it does not accommodate all the commodities that small traders and people bring here to sell. Therefore, goods and agricultural products are even displayed outside the market area.

In Tan Son market, there are thousands of items serving people's needs, from needles, dong leaves, molasses, confectionery, vegetables, meat, fish, clothes and shoes to electronics and wine yeast, seeds and piglets. There is a row of very crowded barber shops here. The atmosphere in the market is bustling with laughter and voices in many different languages of people in different ethnic costumes, creating the own picture of this upland market.

Deo said Tan Son is a grade 3 market, open only on the 2nd and 7th days of every lunar month. It was previously managed by the People's Committee of Tan Son commune. In 2014, the local authorities assigned his cooperative to manage it under the new regulations. The market has a total area of nearly 5,000sq.m, divided into six rows with 255 stalls. Although there are many people buying and selling, the stalls here are very airy, neat and clean.

Ensuring goods of clear origin, food hygiene and safety

Not only shopping, many people also take advantage of Tet to bring agricultural products to sell for higher prices. Chu Thi Nam, a Nung ethnic from Khuon Phai village, Tan Son commune, shared that in order to have money to buy goods for Tet, at the market fair today, she brought 30 kg of sticky rice, 5 kg of molasses, bunches of bananas and ginger to the market to sell.

Economic police officers of Luc Ngan district Police inspect goods for sale in Tan Son market.

Vi Van Hong, Chairman of the communal People's Committee said: "In recent years, thanks to actively developing production, planting fruit trees and forests, producing aquatic products and raising livestock, people's lives have improved. Therefore, the amount of goods sold in each market fair is increasing. Especially, during this Tet occasion, the Covid-19 epidemic is under control, so many people go to the market to buy goods. It is estimated that the amount of goods sold almost doubles that of the same period last year.

To ensure the safety of shoppers, at each market fair, the authorities send militia forces to keep order and security and traffic safety and allow market goers park their vehicles for free at the communal People's Committee’s headquarters. In addition, Tan Son commune has also established a specialized team to remind small traders and people of ensuring food hygiene and safety.

As a grade 3 market, Tan Son is assessed to be one of the markets with the largest number of buyers and sellers in Bac Giang province. Because it not only meets the shopping needs of the people in Tan Son commune but also serves those from six communes on other passes, namely Cam Son, Ho Dap, Phong Van, Phong Minh, Sa Ly and Son Hai in Luc Ngan district and Quan Son and Huu Kien in Chi Lang district of Lang Son province.

In the run-up to Tet, Tan Son market is open until late afternoon. Everyone leaves the market with all kinds of goods together with a joy to welcome the new spring. Many people also make an appointment to meet again in the spring festival also at this market, and to sing together the Sloong hao or sli melodies and the love songs of the highlanders.

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