REMEMBER NAJIB'S RM1 CHICKEN? Well chillies now at RM30 per kilo! Malaysians in uproar as prices skyrocket after floods

PETALING JAYA - Prices of vegetables in daily markets have risen three-fold over the past two weeks as traders claim there is a shortage because of the floods.

Checks by Malay Mail at the Raja Bot market in Chow Kit and markets in Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Jalan Othman, Petaling Jaya, showed “greens” cost much more now.

In Chow Kit, locally grown chillies (cili kampung) were sold at RM30 per kg compared to only RM10 previously.

Water spinach (kangkung) was sold at RM2 a bunch in Chow Kit, RM4.50 per kg in Petaling Jaya and between RM7 and RM8 per kg in Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

The price of ladies fingers has gone up from RM3.50 to RM8 per kg, and that of long beans from RM3 to RM6 per kg.

In Taman Tun Dr Ismail, spring onions, usually sold at RM6, were going for RM12 per kg and brinjals, previously priced at RM7, for RM10 per kg.

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Chow Kit vegetable seller Siti Zuraidah Abu Bakar, 59, said she was forced to charge more as wholesalers had also increased their prices.

“Some vegetables such as pucuk manis and pucuk paku, which my customers usually buy on a daily basis, are not even available,” she said.

“The prices will increase as supplies are low but even that will not help when there are not enough vegetables to sell.”

Siti Zuraidah said she usually obtained her supply of key limes, commonly used in Malay cooking, from her sister’s orchard in Kuala Krau, Temerloh, Pahang.

“All the plants are submerged. It will be a while before we re-plant,” she said.

“Banana leaves are scarce. Customers usually buy them in bulk to wrap nasi lemak, kuih and grilled meat such as fish.

“The prices of bunga kantan and nangka (jackfruit), frequent ingredients in Malay curry dishes, have also increased.”

M. Arumugam, 45, who sells vegetables in Petaling Jaya, blamed the higher prices on the increase in wholesale costs.

“Wholesalers in Selayang have raised their prices, with some items three times more expensive, because of the limited supplies. We have no choice but to do the same,” he said.

A vegetable trader in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, who only wanted to be known as Tan, said his regular supplies of locally grown vegetables had dwindled by almost 60 to 70 per cent.

“We are relying on sales of imported vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, potatoes and cabbages,” he said.

Fishmongers are also selling at increased prices for certain seafood such as sardine and ikan kembong.

A Chow Kit fish seller, who declined to give his name, said his supply of ikan selar (yellowtail scad) and sardine from Kelantan had dropped.

“They cannot go out to sea and that affects our supply,” he said.

Property retailer Ashley Tew, 37, who shops at the Taman Tun Dr Ismail market, said she noticed a 20 per cent increase in her grocery bills.

“Prices have gone up, especially for vegetables, since two weeks ago. I am afraid they will increase further with Chinese New Year around the corner,” she said.

Federal Agricultural and Marketing Authority director-general Datuk Ahmad Ishak said a report on the situation with steps to overcome the price increases would be presented to Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today. - Malay Mail