HCM City’s first permanent flower trading centre will open at the Binh Dien wholesale market in District 8 this year, according to the municipal People’s Committee.

The Saigon Trading Group (Satra) will build the 14ha centre at a cost of around VND700 billion (US$31.8 million).

It will offer flower sorting, packing, refrigerated transport and cold storage, floriculture support, post-harvest handling, logistics, and financial services.

Its first stage will be completed this year, with an expansion scheduled for next year.

Some 90 per cent of the flowers consumed in HCM City come from Da Lat City, according to Satra.

Da Lat grows flowers in the billions every year.

It too plans to set up a flower trading centre this year — at the bottom of Mimosa Pass – which will supply flowers to HCM City. —VNS