With Raya coming soon, Malaysians are beginning to scour around for kuih Raya to stock up so that it can be served to guests.
However, this would mean them having to pay more for it as kuih Raya vendors have warned that prices will see a steep rise this year.
Kuih Raya prices to soar by 25%
A reporter from Harian Metro recently did a survey at a market in Kubang Pasu, Kota Bahru, Kelantan, and found three to five pieces of kuih Raya are still being sold for RM2.
However, such prices will soon be nothing but a memory as vendors will be hiking the price of kuih Raya by 25% this year due to rising cost in raw materials, especially coconut milk.
A vendor named Tarmizi Husin told Harian Metro that the RM2 price had been maintained for more than four years, but it’s expected to increase to RM2.50 after Aidilfitri.
He added many vendors, including himself, agreed to raise prices by up to 20% due to rising costs of raw materials, including coconut milk.
“The price of coconut milk has increased since last December from RM10 to RM16 per kilogram, yet kuih vendors have continued to maintain their selling prices.
We feel bad about raising kuih prices, but we have no choice as we won’t make a profit if we stick to the old prices,” he said.
“Selling kuih is unpredictable. On some days, everything sells out, and on other days, it doesn’t. If it doesn’t sell, we only end up exhausted,” he explained.
Meanwhile, coconut milk vendor Muhammad Nor Akmal Jaafar said coconut milk prices might rise to RM20 per kilogram during Ramadan due to difficulties in obtaining fresh coconuts.
He added suppliers purchase coconuts from Indonesia, where they cost between RM3.30 and RM3.40 per piece.
“Some of the coconuts we buy are rotten because they take a long time to arrive here. As a result, the cost of producing coconut milk increases.
“For now, I am selling coconut milk at RM13 per kilogram as I don’t have the heart to charge more. However, if coconut prices continue to rise, sellers might increase the price of coconut milk to RM20 per kilogram during Ramadan,” he warned.
What do you think of the potential price hike? Share with us in the comments!
READ ALSO:
