Ho Chi Minh prices spike
Post‑Lunar New Year cost pressures pushed retail prices up to 20% in Ho Chi Minh City — transport and input cost hikes are being blamed for the jump (vietnam.vn). Meanwhile, Newcastle Food Month returns in April and Kenilworth’s food & farming event is coming back in 2026 — so festival calendars are filling even as prices bite in some markets ( ).
Regional reporting from Vietnamese outlets found many essential items in Ho Chi Minh City rose between 5% and 20% in the weeks after the Lunar New Year holiday. (baonghean.vn) Retailers and market analysts attributed the spike primarily to higher transport costs and rising prices for agricultural inputs, saying those two factors created simultaneous upward pressure on shelf prices. (dtinews.dantri.com.vn) Peak-season travel and freight pressures ahead of Tet pushed fares and logistics costs higher, with some reports citing air and rail ticket surges of up to 700,000 VND compared with the previous year. (xe.today) Household demand has already shifted: consumer surveys and local press coverage say shoppers are tightening spending on non‑essentials while Ho Chi Minh businesses point to VND 26 trillion of goods prepared for Tet, including more than VND 9 trillion earmarked for official price‑stabilisation programs. (dtinews.dantri.com.vn) At the national level, Vietnam’s consumer price index rose to 3.35% in February 2026 from 2.53% in January 2026, underscoring broader inflationary pressure beyond the city. (tradingeconomics.com) In Australia, Newcastle Food Month returns across April 2026 as the festival’s sixth edition featuring more than 70 events and 70+ Plate Dates, presented by Charlestown Square and supported by the City of Newcastle. (newcastlefoodmonth.com.au) The Kenilworth Show, organised by the Kenilworth and District Agricultural Society (KADAS), is scheduled for 6 June 2026 as a one‑day agricultural and food event that traditionally draws around 12,000 visitors and has secured backing from local businesses for its return. (kenilworthshow.co.uk)
