By William Isau
SIBU, Jan 9: Prices for all types of vegetables here have gone up due to the current rainy season.
Sibu Vegetable Planters Association advisor, Kong Hua Kuong however said today that unlike previously where the prices would go rocket due to bad weather, this time the impact is not as great.
“There are more people planting vegetables now than previously, so the increase in prices is not that high at just 50 sen,” he reasoned.
As an example, he said, as vendors are paying RM7 per kg of vegetables to their suppliers, they would be selling them at between R9 to RM10 per kg and this has been going on for about four months now.
“The price fluctuates by about 50 sen depending on the weather. During good weather with ample supply, vegetable prices will drop by 50 sen,” he said.
He singled out petola, okra (lady’s fingers), long beans, and cucumber as the most vulnerable to bad weather.
“Vegetables price might be dearer now but people are stil buying them,” he said.
On the coming Chinese New Year, he said business is also highly dependent on restaurants in that vegetable vendors would enjoy good business if eateries place big orders with them.
“We will be better off if restaurants place big orders with us. They can buy from us two to three days before the lunar new year,” he added. — DayakDaily
