KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 ― The rainy season which has swept across the peninsula, especially the East Coast, is believed to have caused a shortage of essential goods in the market, thus contributing to a hike in prices.
Checks by Bernama at several markets around the city found the prices of goods such as fish and vegetables have increased due to lack of supply.
The prices for fish, squid and prawns have increased between RM2 and RM4 per kg.
A fishmonger in Chow Kit, Chia Kar Peng, 26, said the prices of mackerel, red snapper, squid and prawns had increased about RM3 per kg due to the erratic weather since late last year.
“Previously, the price of mackerel was RM12 per kg, now it's RM15 a kg, while the large squids which were previously priced at RM10 per kg are now RM12 per kg,” he said.
A butcher, Asyraf Mohidin, 29, said meat prices had to be increased due to a drop in supply of local beef thus having to rely on imports from India.
“Before this, local beef was priced at RM20 per kg but now its RM23 per kg. The increase has been due to the depreciation of the ringgit,” he said when met by Bernama, today.
Meanwhile, Lim Gaik Lean, 37, a greengrocer said supply of vegetables from Cameron Highlands had decreased drastically due to the heavy rains.
“Most traders rely on supplies from Cameron Highlands, when the rainy season arrives, the supply drops, and prices have to be raised between RM2 to RM5 per kg.
“For example cabbage, before it was RM2.50 per kg, now its RM5 per kg, okra from RM2 to RM4 per kg, and garlic has increased significantly from RM15 to RM20 per kg,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mohd Sharif Yusof, 60, from Kampung Baru when met at the Keramat Market, said he was very unhappy with the hike in prices.
He said the price of a kilo of red snapper had now reached RM40 per kg, compared to only RM36 per kg before the monsoon season.
“The price for large prawns has also increased from RM36 to RM38 per kg,” he said, adding he felt burdened by the price hikes.
Hajariah Ibrahim, 43, from Putrajaya who happened to stop at the market, said the price of fish there was still better compared to Putrajaya.
“Usually I buy mackerel in Putrajaya at RM19 per kg, here (Keramat Market) the price is RM16.50 per kg, while the price of prawns in the Putrajaya market has increased to RM40 per kg, compared to RM36 per kg previously.
Meanwhile, the Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations (FOMCA) deputy president Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman, when contacted by Bernama, said the rise in prices of essential goods was due to a shortage of supply in the market.
“During the rainy season, fishermen cannot go out to sea, local fish prices will rise. Therefore, we have to rely on imported fish, which is frozen, at a lower price.
“The price of fish goes up because of transportation costs and lack of supply, while consumer demand remains the same,” he said.
He said for areas where fish supply was low, especially those affected by floods, they had to be obtained from other states to meet consumer demand.
However, he said so far, Fomca had not received any complaints about the increase in prices of vegetables in the market, as reported in the media. ― Bernama
