KOTA BARU: The increase in the price of fish is due to the attitude of some fishmongers and retailers who increase prices almost overnight with the reasoning that supplies and stocks are hard to come by.
However, checks at several markets here today found the majority of fishmongers were selling fish at the set price. They insisted that the hike in prices was only done by those who were unscrupulous.
Fishmonger Mat Janin Mat Amin, 54, sells fish that he chooses himself from suppliers at the Tunjong Rural Transformation Centre. He also makes sure that he sells the fish at the set market price.
"It is most likely that fish prices at some locations are inflated because some fishmongers do not get their stocks directly from reputable suppliers and wholesalers. Apart from this, some make the lame excuse that demand supposedly far outweighs supply during major festive periods.
"For example, I sell ikan kembung (mackerel) at RM14 a kilogramme (kg). A secondary seller who gets his supplies from me may resell it at RM15 per kg.
"It is somewhat normal if prices are slightly higher when sold by a secondary seller, but not to the extent that there is a hike of between RM4 to RM5 per kg as claimed by some. That is far too high," he said.
Mat Janin, who operates at the Kubang Pasu wet market, said other fish sold at the set market price were cencaru for RM10 a kg and selar for RM18 a kg.
He added that usually wholesalers and suppliers will not raise prices when fish is harder to catch during the monsoon season but would instead limit the quantity purchased compared with normal days.
Meanwhile, checks found the prices of some vegetables, such as cucumber, tomato and lime, had also gone up between RM3 to RM5 per kg.
Vegetable seller Zulhakimi Mat, 29, said if there was a hike in the price of vegetables during the Chinese New Year festive period it usually involves greens imported from Thailand.
"The price of vegetables now is somewhat uncertain but we still have to sell vegetables because this is what we do to earn a living. It is not like we have a choice. Usually, vegetables that will see a price hike are those that are in high demand," he said.