GOOD news for lovers of lokam or mandarin oranges as the fruits this year will be extra succulent and sweet — and also cheaper.
Sunshine Wholesale Mart Sdn Bhd general manager Yee Kam Ming said this was due to the good weather towards the middle and end of last year in China.
“The lokam will also be 10% to 15% cheaper as the crop was 20% more than last year owing to the dry weather and good growing conditions.
Shoppers choosing lokam of various sizes being at Sunshine Square in Bayan Baru, Penang.
“The size is also bigger, ranging from 70mm and above.
“All in, 75% of the fruits are between the M and XL sizes.
“Last year, the fruits were sweet, but this year it is going to be even better,” he said after overseeing the unloading of 6,200 boxes of lokam at Sunshine Square in Bayan Baru, Penang, on Monday.
The price of the 4kg box of lokam is between RM12.80 and RM19 depending on the size.
The S-sized lokam will be sold at RM12.80, which is cheaper than last year’s price of RM13.68.
The M-sized lokam is priced at RM13.80 compared to last year’s RM16.68.
The price of the L and XL-sized lokam has decreased to RM16.80 and RM19 respectively compared to RM20.88 and RM23.88 last year.
Yee said the supply of lokam would continue to arrive until the beginning of February.
“We ordered 30 containers for sale and wholesale, and they are usually sold out a week after the Chinese New Year.
A closeup of the lokum which tastes sweeter this year.
“You can also buy the lokam in loose quantity for RM4.50 to RM5 per kg,” he said.
According to him, the Teochew kam (Teochew mandarin oranges) from the Guangdong province in China, have yet to arrive as they are being harvested right now.
“The Guangdong area was hit by typhoon last year and many of the crops were damaged.
“The pricing, however, will be around the same as last year, meaning that it’s going to be dearer than the lokam,” he said.
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