Market traders feel like they are caught in the middle between the consumer and the supplier as the prices of goods fluctuate, forcing them to charge customers accordingly.
A trader from Selayang, who declined to be named, said the prices of seafood and poultry were stable but the prices of vegetables depended on available stock.
“I have no choice but to charge RM10/kg for red chillis and RM5.50/kg for tomatoes,” she said.
“Customers don’t usually feel the pinch, because I do not charge them too much.
“I absorb as much as I can because it is not fair to sell goods at higher prices.”
Thirty-year veteran Chow Kit trader Tan Kim Sui said: “The price of kangkung has gone up to RM3.50/kg from RM2.50/kg after the announcement of its price reduction a few days ago.”
A “Mr Chang” said prawn prices had gone up tremendously in the past two years because many fishermen had opted to export them to China.
“This has affected supply, which caused the prices to go up,” he said.
He said he expected prawns to cost a few ringgit more next week because of Chinese New Year.
Fishmonger Tang Ah Teck said the price hikes would not drive people away from buying seafood.
“It is normal for Chinese to buy seafood for Chinese New Year. The king prawn (meng har) will still the first choice.”
Butcher Zambri Shahbhari said the price of beef had risen by RM2-RM4/kg, from RM14 to between RM16 and RM18.
He said his business had seen a 20 per cent drop, adding that most of the customers shopped around several markets before making their purchases.
Grocer Mustajzun Rahman said the prices of vegetables were stable compared to seafood and other food items, noting that cucumber prices had dropped by 50 sen.
– themalaymailonline
