Fishball prices increase 20% due to rising cost of raw ingredients

Channel NewsAsia 12 Mar 08;

Retailers said the price hikes have been caused by the dip in supplies of frozen fish from countries such as Thailand and Indonesia.

SINGAPORE: Retailers said the prices of fishballs have risen by 20 per cent since last July due to rising cost of raw ingredients.

The retail price of Foochow fishballs, for example, has gone up to from S$7 to S$9 per kilogramme.

Prices of five-spice ngoh hiang (meat roll) have also risen by 25 per cent, from S$2.60 to S$3.00 per kilogramme, over the same period.

Retailers said the price hikes have been caused by the dip in supplies of frozen fish from countries such as Thailand and Indonesia.

Fisheries in those countries have been affected by bad weather.

Even though retailers in Singapore have started looking for cheaper sources of ingredients, they said the prices of fishballs are expected to climb further in the later half of the year. - CNA/ac