Channel NewsAsia 17 Mar 08;
SINGAPORE : The price of Chinese herbs is set to increase by 10-20 percent.
The main reason for this increase is the cold weather in China, which has affected the supply of herbs.
Other reasons for the price hike include increases in freight charges, the falling US dollar and the increasing popularity of Chinese herbs in Western countries.
As most Chinese medical stores have already stocked up, they will not be increasing their prices as yet.
Local stores are also going to make some changes to their processed medicine in a bid to lower costs.
Despite all these measures, the prices in popular medical stores are still expected to rise in future.
The cost of Chinese herbs is expected to stabilise within one month. - CNA/ms
