PETALING JAYA, Feb 5 — It looks like coconuts are becoming a scarce and expensive commodity as Thaipusam draws near.
After Penang and Ipoh — two popular Thaipusam venues besides Batu Caves — found it difficult to get coconuts, devotees and traders in the Klang Valley are complaining of the same problem.
It would seem there is insufficient supply to meet the demand.
Wholesaler Norliah Md Isa, 64, who trades at the Selayang wholesale market, said she did not have enough stock to meet the requirements of customers this year.
“My supplier used to give me 1,500 coconuts daily, but now I receive about 1,200, sometimes even fewer, because of the floods,” she said.
Norliah gets her supply from Kuala Selangor, which she sells for RM1.35 each.
She said although her business picked up over the last two days because of Thaipusam, it had been difficult to meet the demand.
Malay Mail also went to the markets in Sentul and Chow Kit and found the prices of coconuts had increased by as much as 80 sen each.
Traders there said they had no choice but to increase their prices as suppliers were charging them more.
At the Chow Kit market, Lee Yen Sen said he was selling coconuts at RM2 each compared to RM1.50 recently.
“When suppliers raise their prices, we also have to do so,’’ said Lee, 35, who has been in the business for 12 years. He gets his supply from Sabak Bernam.
“The weather plays a role. Continuous rain in some states led to the shortage.” Sulaiman Yaakob, 45, who sells coconuts at Sentul market, said he was only able to supply 20,000 to his customers for Thaipusam this year compared to 40,000 last year.
“I used to sell a coconut for RM2.20 last November. I have no choice but to increase the price by 10 sen as the cost is too much to bear,” added Sulaiman, who gets his supply from Selangor, Perak, Johor and Malacca.
