Pomelo – fruit of prosperity and good luck

Liew showing a decorated pair of pomelos to the camera.

By Wilfred Pilo

KUCHING, Jan 28: Pomelo is very popular during the Chinese New Year festival, and to the Chinese community, it brings prosperity and good luck.

A cafe proprietress at RH Plaza here in the city, Shally Liew, said as Chinese New Year 2022 is a few days away, the fruit is in great demand.

“Usually, people will buy one but better in pair because the Chinese believe all good things come in two. People also bring the fruits to the temple as gifts and offerings, and in turn, they seek good things in the new year,” she said when met at her cafe recently.

She said she had just enough freshly-harvested supply of pomelo from the Asajaya and Simunjan farms for customers who had pre-ordered from her.

Liew’s pomelos are sold at RM12 per kilogram and one fruit is usually over a kilogram.

“So one fruit is about RM18 to RM20, it is very affordable, and we are running out soon as we are also closing in time for the public holiday,” she said.

Liew’s cafe staff helping to sort the decorated pomelos for customers.

Despite the quiet Chinese New Year celebration last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Liew wanted to keep the culture going as the pomelo sales would bring extra income for her cafe.

“This is just an extra ‘angpow’ for the cafe business,” she jested but hoping this year would be a better year for business as the economy recovers. — Dayakdaily