KUALA TERENGGANU, March 21 — Extremely hot weather due to the El Nino phenomenon has made many fish wholesalers to resort to selling frozen fish as fresh fish supplies are dwindling in the waters off Terengganu.
A wholesaler at the Gong Pauh wholesale market, Mohd Johan Sidek said he would explain to the buyer whether the fish being sold is fresh or frozen to enable them to make a choice.
“For example, today, we could only get ‘ikan kembung’ and ‘ikan selar kuning’ fresh, whereas we are forced to sell frozen ‘ikan selayang’ because there is no fresh supply.
“There are buyers who also complain especially those dealing in food like ‘laksa’ and ‘rojak papaya’ for fear that the quality of frozen fish will affect the flavour of the food sold.
“However, buyers who understand will figure out other alternatives to buy other fish which are fresher even if the price is relatively expensive,” he told reporters after the ‘Ops Harga’ inspection conducted by the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism here today. — Bernama
