Costlier dumpling ingredients this year

Expensive: Sundry shop proprietor at the Johor Jaya wet market Aiait arranging the bamboo leaves used for wrapping dumplings.

JOHOR BARU: Dried ingredients for making dumplings are costlier this year as the prices of most essential items for the glutinous rice snack have gone up by about 10% to 15%.

This is especially in view of the annual Duan Wu celebration (dumpling festival) on June 2, which is the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese calendar.