Jamie Ee Wen Wei , Chen Meiyue & Alex Liam, Straits Times 3 Feb 08;
SEA cucumber may be a popular item in reunion dinners but some Singaporeans are giving the delicacy a miss, after a supply shortage caused its price to double this year.
Housewife Yap Qui Hong, 71, who serves braised sea cucumber with abalone or duck for her family of 11 at reunion dinners, is one of them.
She said: 'I'm the only one in the family who enjoys eating it, so I decided not to buy it this year since it is so expensive.'
Traditionally, the prices of popular ingredients would see a surge in the days leading up to Chinese New Year because of the festive demand.
But this year, Singaporeans are harder hit as inflation in the prices of food items - caused by increased supply costs - had set in months ahead of Chinese New Year.
Costlier food, transport and health care drove Singapore's inflation rate to a 25-year high of 4.4 per cent in December - with food prices rising 5.5 per cent.
Yesterday, The Sunday Times visited 10 wet markets and three wholesale stores and found that at least seven traditional favourites cost more this festive period, compared with the same time last year.
Sea cucumber shows the biggest jump with a doubling of its price, followed by fish maw, which has gone up by about 50 per cent.
Chicken, pork and beef, popular items in steamboat dinners, are all up by about $1 per kg.
Housewife Yeo Kim Hong, 62, said her expenses for the reunion dinner have gone up by $50 this year. Her bill for the ingredients: $200. This, despite shopping for groceries a week in advance in a bid to beat the price hike.
To cut costs, some Singaporeans are replacing their reunion dinner favourites with cheaper alternatives.
Tailor Elise Lim, 45, said she will serve shellfish instead of abalone at her family dinner this year.
Housewife Seah Sai Chew, 70, will substitute her pomfret dish with the much cheaper batang fish. Others, however, are not keen to cut costs for the occasion.
Administrative clerk Cecilia Lim, 55, who has spent $150 so far on her reunion dinner for seven, said: 'Chinese New Year is a once-a-year celebration. We can cut costs on any other day, but not on this day.'
