Everything’s up: Gayathiri showing the prices of vegetables at her stall in Batu Lanchang, George Town. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star

       GEORGE TOWN: Young people hardly cook – that is the only explanation fishmonger Vincent Khoo offers for the drop in demand for his fish.

       Back when people were forced to stay home to keep Covid-19 at bay, Khoo, 34, said many came to get choice cuts for their culinary exploits in the kitchen.

       Now that daily life is almost back to normal, he observes that fewer young customers are doing their marketing.

       “They are going back to eating out since they are not staying home so much, I guess,” he said.

       But Khoo said he would advise consumers to maintain the practice of cooking at home if they want to enjoy good quality fish without paying high prices at eateries.

       With the soaring price of fish feed, caused by the war in Ukraine and global shortages, he said he had no choice but to raise his prices substantially.

       His stall in Batu Lanchang market sells only premium saltwater fish reared in floating cages at sea, such as red snapper and dragon-tiger grouper.

       “I used to sell red snapper at RM26 to RM30 per kilo but I now have to sell it for RM48.

       “I have tried not to sell it, but since there is demand, I bring in a few at a time,” he said yesterday.

       Since the dragon-tiger grouper is already a premium fish, usually selling at close to RM70 per kilo in most markets, Khoo said its price had not gone up by much.

       Other traders in Batu Lanchang market are also griping about rising prices.

       S. Gayathiri, 29, who sells vegetables, has to explain to almost every customer about the higher prices.

       Malaysia imports almost all the components for making fish feed and fertilisers, and the prices of many of these ingredients are now at record highs.

       “Prices suddenly increased by quite a bit, even in the last few days.

       “The most shocking of all is the price of choy sum (sawi), which used to be one of the cheaper vegetables.

       “It used to be RM5 per kilo from the wholesaler, but now I can only buy at RM7 per kilo. This means I have to sell it at RM9 per kilo,” she grumbled.

       Her other concern is the price of cucumbers, another formerly cheap option, which she used to sell at RM4.50/kg but had to sell at RM6.50/kg recently.

       At Chowrasta market, chicken trader Mohamed Junaidhu Shahul, 55, said it was a daily struggle now to find enough poultry to meet demand.

       “When I order 300 chickens, my suppliers can only send 100.

       “They tell me if I want live chicken, there is plenty but the local council does not allow us to slaughter chickens at the market.

       “If we traders are allowed to slaughter chickens at the market or designated places, the demand can be met,” he said.

       Since last year, chicken sellers statewide have not been allowed to slaughter chickens at wet markets, a move to improve hygiene and cut down on pollution caused by the blood and other waste matter flowing unchecked into the sea.

       Six chicken slaughterhouses were approved in 2020 to do it and the birds are sent chilled to retailers.