Mohd Taupek (right) says the price of seafood has gone up during the Lunar New Year.
BUSINESS is slowly picking up for Taman Perling public market traders in Johor Baru since the state started observing Saturday-Sunday as its weekeend.
Thaqif Qastari Enterprise proprietor Mohd Taupek Kasim said it was still too early to evaluate the long-term impact.
“Nevertheless, we received more customers on the first Saturday and Sunday this month,” he said when met at his stall.
Mohd Taupek, who has been selling fish and other seafood at the market for 10 years, is optimistic business will improve with the change.
He anticipated more locals and Singaporeans to patronise the market to buy fish and other seafood items.
“Prices of fish and other seafood items have been going up,” added Mohd Taupek.
He said large-sized farmed prawns are now selling for RM55 per kg compared to RM40 last December, while sea prawns priced between RM50 and RM60 last month now cost between RM80 and RM100 per kg.
Mohd Taupek said bawal puteh (white pomfret) weighing between 600gm and 700gm was priced from RM80 onwards per fish, while bawal cupak (Chinese pomfret) cost RM200 per fish.
Phua has been receiving new customers since the weekend change.
Ming Hui Tani Trading proprietor Phua Ming Hui observed there were more customers at the market since the start of the Saturday-Sunday weekend.
“Most of them are working in Singapore. Now they are able to come to the market especially on Sunday, instead of sending their children to school,” he said.
Phua said apart from familiar faces, he also has new customers buying vegetables.
He said the Taman Perling wet market did not only serve residents from Taman Perling but also Taman Bukit Indah, Tampoi, Bandar Uda Utama, Bandar Baru Uda, Taman Nusa Idaman and nearby villages.
Phua said vegetables such as Japanese choy sum, sawi bunga, tong hou (chrysanthemum greens), broccoli, corn and cauliflower are popular during the Chinese New Year.
“Chinese like to eat these vegetables with meat, prawns, fish balls, tofu and noodles for steamboat during the reunion dinner,” he said.
