GEORGE TOWN: The Chinese New Year feasting is over, and seafood sellers here are now groaning.

       The price of pomfret and jumbo prawns have fallen, some by as much as 50% – and there are few takers even for the cheaper items.

       A check on wet markets at Pulau Tikus and Ayer Itam yesterday showed that prices of such items are lower again, with fishmongers pointing out that the fall in demand has caused prices to fall sharply.

       “It is a normal trend every Chinese New Year (CNY). Prices drop sharply just a week later, and people take a break from the feasting and do not come back just yet,” said fishmonger Lim Lung Theam, 50, when met at Pulau Tikus market.

       “Big pomfret were going for RM120 a kilo (during CNY) but in the last few days, the price dropped to RM70 to RM80.

       “Large squid are not so sought after, but were selling at RM50 a kilo a few days before CNY and are now at RM40,” he added.

       Lim said the price of other fish, even salmon, remained stable throughout CNY, at between RM70 and RM80 a kilo.

       “People know that suppliers will increase prices during the festival and only those who can afford fresh, large pomfret and prawns would buy,” he added.

       Pulau Tikus market is well-known as a “rich man’s market”, where premium items, including sashimi-grade salmon and cod, can be found.

       Another trader there, Zakaria Darus, 60, said his big prawns were going for RM95 to RM100 a kilo, which is usual every year.

       “The price is now between RM70 and RM80,” he said.

       “It will probably drop further when more fishermen start going out to sea again after the CNY break,” he predicted.

       Strangely, fishermen had bumper catches of octopus just before CNY, and fishmonger Law Bee Choo, 70, said she now has freezers full of them.

       But her price for octopus remained the same at around RM40 a kilo throughout the festivities, since this is not a much sought-after item.

       At the Ayer Itam fish market, prices were even lower.

       A fishmonger who wanted to be known only as Ah Keong, 70, said medium-sized prawns were going for RM65 a kilo during CNY but this has now dropped to RM45.

       “The prawns are not real big ones, but many buy them because our prices are more reasonable compared with wet markets in George Town.

       “Even medium-sized pomfret were selling for RM70 a kilo during Chinese New Year,” Ah Keong said.

       “This has now dropped to just RM50,” added Ah Keong.