‘Bayam’ is among the leafy vegetables that are in short supply in Kapit.
KAPIT: There has been an acute shortage of green vegetables here since last week – just before and during the Chinese New Year celebration.
At the mini supermarkets and hypermarkets in and around town, one can hardly find green vegetables for sale.
Imported vegetables like long cabbages, sweet cabbages, round cabbages, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic and ginger are plenty, but not leafy vegetables.
The contributing factors could be that the local farmers are not allowed to display their farm or jungle produce at the markets during the enforcement of the Movement Control Order (MCO), and Kapit is heavily dependent on vegetable suppliers from Sibu, who could not meet the demands from the markets here.
Furthermore, the supply of green vegetables has been interrupted during the Chinese New Year period.
As a result, prices of green vegetables have risen sharply, with a kilogramme of ‘bayam’ (local spinach), lady’s fingers, French beans and long beans costing RM10, and cucumber at RM1 to RM2 per piece.
Mandarin oranges had been selling like hot cakes previously, but a day before the Chinese New Year, they were already out of stock.
A survey conducted had discovered that all the essential items listed by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs such as chicken, frozen seafood (like prawns, jellyfish, sardines and ‘ikan kembong’), eggs, pork, onions, garlic, cabbages and chillies were plentiful.
The Chinese New Year this time around was a new experience in Kapit. Due to MCO restrictions, there was no festive visit and there was an absence of festivities – it went past just like an ordinary day. People spent the holidays at home with their families, and those working outside did not return for the occasion.
A local resident, who wished to be known only as ‘Jack’, said minus the visiting, there was no Chinese New Year mood at all.
“It was a real different experience, a sharp contrast to previous celebrations. Family members stayed back at their workplaces. The New Year – minus the visiting and just staying at home watching movies, eating and sleeping – is rather boring.
“I am very happy now that Kapit is under Conditional MCO until March 1. I am looking forward to breathing fresh air again,” he said.
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