KOTA SAMARAHAN: The monsoon season and recent floods have left an impact on the prices and supply of vegetables around Kota Samarahan and Kuching.
A recent survey found that most vegetable sellers currently obtain their vegetables at relatively high prices from suppliers.
A vegetable trader in Bandar Riyal wet market Florinsia Philip admitted that since the rainy season, she has been buying her vegetables from suppliers at a relatively high price.
“I only buy vegetables from one or two suppliers – and if they run out of supplies, then I will not be able to get a supply of vegetables for sale.
“Currently, if there are any suppliers, they will definitely put vegetables at high prices because their crops have also been affected by the continuous heavy rains and recent floods.
“For now, I only sell calamansi lime, chilli, lemongrass, galangal and turmeric for RM2 per bundle (ikat),” she said, adding that sometimes she had to increase the price of her goods if the supplier offered a high price to her.
Nur Rina Abdullah. 
Among the vegetables sold by Nur Rina.
Another vegetable seller at Medan Niaga Satok Nur Rina Abdullah said even though the supplier is currently placing vegetables at a relatively high price, she will still reduce the price of vegetables if there are customers who ask for a discount.
Apart from vegetables, our reporter’s survey also found that the price of seafood is also increasing at the moment.
According to a fish trader at a hawker centre here Chula Sanny, during the rainy season, the price of fresh fish from his supplier in Petanak, Kuching has increased by around RM1 to RM2 from the normal price.
“The supply of fresh fish at this time is also quite affected and most other seafood such as squid and ambal are frozen products,” he said, adding that during this monsoon season, he also slightly increased the price of his goods depending on the price obtained from suppliers.
Earlier, a survey by Suara Sarawak on Sunday, found that currently only vegetables such as sweet potato leaves, ulam raja, cucumber, eggplant, petai and tomatoes as well as seafood such as shrimp, squid and cockles are widely sold in wet markets.
