KATHLEEN ANN KILI The Star 18 Dec 14;
JOHOR BARU: The monsoon season has caused the prices of vegetables and fish to shoot up over the past five months.
Checks by The Star showed that vegetable prices increased by between 40% and 50% while fish prices had risen by 10% to 20% since August.
Vegetable seller Halimah Majid, 73, who has been a trader at the Tebrau market for the past 32 years, claimed that the price of vegetables would increase further until February.
“Vegetable supplies from Batu Pahat, Kulai and Bentong have been low because most of the crops were destroyed due to the rainy season,” she said.
She said tomatoes, which were usually sold at about RM4 per kg, now cost between RM5 and RM6 while the price of cucumber had increased from RM2.50 to RM3 a kilo.
She added that the price of red chillies rose from RM8 to RM10 while cabbage had increased from RM4 to RM4.50.
Another vegetable seller Bah Ah Lan said that where the supplies came from also affected the prices.
“Vegetables from Cameron Highlands are higher due to the (flood) damage to the crops.
“But my supplies from Yong Peng are not affected and prices remain stable,” she said at the Larkin market here.
Fishmonger Seet Bak Chua said the price of ikan selar (yellowtail scad) and kembung (mackerel) were the most affected.
“Fishermen are unable to go out to sea due to the rough seas and this has affected supply.
“But the prices of fish bred in farms are unaffected,” he said at the Tebrau market.
Poultry prices have not been affected by the monsoon season.
