The government kicked gasoline prices up at least 15 percent across the board last Thursday, attributing the move to the commodity's rising global cost.

The move pushed diesel prices up 18.6 percent.

Thanks to the rise, local residents throughout Vietnam now pay a whopping VND13,300 per liter of A95 gasoline.

Once they reach the market, they'll be getting a lot less for their money than they're used to.

An official from the supervision department at Binh Tay Market in Ho Chi Minh City's District 6 said the food sector had been hit hard by the fuel price increase.

“Bitter mustard prices rose from VND6,000 to VND7,500 today [Saturday].

Other products like meat, fish, cooking oil, sugar and beanshave all risen by VND500-1,000,” he said.

He added that fruits and vegetables from Da Lat took the biggest hit as cabbage doubled to VND8,000-9,000 per kilogram and green capsicum was up by VND4,000 to VND16,000 per kilogram.

“Daily consumption costs have risen too high,” said Khanh Huong, a shopper at Ba Chieu Market in HCMC's Binh Thanh District.

“My family had to switch from gas to firewood for cooking”, she told Thanh Nien.

And on the verge of the Tet (Lunar New Year) season, when goods prices always rise in Vietnam, it appears the recent surge is just the tip of the iceberg.

The price of cosmetics, confectioneries and food at supermarkets went up by 5-10 percent since the gas hike, said an employee at a HCMC supermarket, adding that the price could jump another 5-10 percent before the Tet holiday in February.

“The gasoline price increase has pushed port costs up VND5,000 per kilogram” said a fish trader at Pham Van Hai Market in HCMC's Tan Binh District.

Fish traders at several markets said the price increase has lifted fishing costs some three percent.

Nguyen Huu Mang, director of transportation company Phuong Thao, said the fuel hike has forced his firm to spend nearly VND3.5 million more a day on fuel.

Local businesses also worry that the gas hike will hurt Vietnamese exports.

A coffee exporter in Dak Lak Province, Vietnam's top coffee-growing area, said it cost VND180,000 to VND200,000 to truck a ton of coffee the 350 km from Dak Lak to HCMC ports.

Truck operators haven't quoted new charges after the gas price increase, but the exporter in Dak Lak said he expected the fee to rise at least 50 percent.
Soure: Thanhniennew