Spices and vegetables in high demand

KEPALA BATAS: Ingredients and spices are flying off the shelves in grocery stores and wet markets, with three days left to go before Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

A check at several stores in Kepala Batas found many shoppers busy buying necessities to prepare for the festivities.

Spotted at a grocery store was Syakir Rosdi, who went to buy chicken and other items.

“My wife wants to cook rendang, so I came early to prepare. I don’t like to do last-minute shopping,” he said.

Housewife Safiza Md Nor, 52, said she found that the prices of some items had increased.

“Items like spinach and cabbage have increased by at least 30%,” she said.

Safiza, however, said the prices of chicken and beef were stable.

Civil servant Noridatol Badriah Norizan, 44, said she just came back from Putrajaya with her husband to celebrate Hari Raya at her parents’ house in Paya Keladi.

“Every year, we buy our beef in Sungai Dua because the meat is fresh,” she said, adding that the beef could be cooked with curry or made into rendang, a must-have delicacy during Hari Raya.

Faizah Long, 63, a grandmother of three, said the prices of most ingredients had increased, but as a consumer, she couldn’t do anything because it was the same elsewhere.

“I feel the increase is about 30% on all items, maybe because it is the festive season,” she said.

Grocery store operator Shahrul Effendi Rashid, 51, said spices have been in high demand.

“Lemongrass, turmeric leaves and galangal (lengkuas) are ingredients that people use to cook rendang during Hari Raya,” he said.

Shahrul said vegetables like mustard, spinach and cabbage were selling fast too.

He said so far, supplies have been adequate, and the wholesalers have not increased prices.

“We hope prices will be stable and the supply will be sufficient in the long run,” he said.

Shahrul said his shop will operate until the last day of Ramadan, so people can come and buy items at the last minute.

Zulkifli Othman, 63, who sells local beef at Sungai Dua here, said he has no problem getting his meat supplies, even though his sales are good.

“For the last few days, we sold more than a tonne of beef daily,” he said.

Zulkifli, who has been in the industry for 23 years, said he has been selling fresh beef for RM40 per kg since last year.

He expects the crowd to be larger on Tuesday, the eve of Hari Raya.