ONCE the poor man’s fish, low stock and high demand have pushed the price of ikan kembung (Indian mackerel) up, but it is still a favourite among customers, said wet market traders.

The price of fresh kembung is now hovering between RM20 and RM22 kilogramme. At the Chow Kit wet market in Kuala Lumpur, a kilo of frozen kembung retailed at RM16-RM18 per kg while the fresh fish was RM20 per kg.

The price doesn’t differ much from what it was three years ago when it fluctuated between RM16 and RM22, depending on the location.

At the time, the government had considered placing kembung on the price-controlled list as its widespread consumption was seen as a yardstick for other types of fish.

The fish still remains a favourite with wet market customers despite the price, but they will opt for other types if they feel the week’s catch of kembung is not worth the price in terms of size and freshness, or they will simply buy a smaller amount of kembung.

At the Pudu market, frozen kembung cost RM15 per kg, while the fresh fish was going for RM20-RM22 per kg. The price, however, has not stopped people from buying it.

“I sell 1kg of big fresh kembung for RM20. This will get you four or five pieces of fish. The smaller kembung, I sell them for RM9-RM10 per kg.

“Frozen kembung cost around RM16-RM18. The price may be high, but people still buy it,” said the fishmonger identified only as Uncle Bey.

Uncle Bey, who has been a fishmonger for 40 years, said the price of fresh kembung has gone up due to dwindling supply, the rain and also the full moon. In the case of frozen kembung, he said prices have gone up because of the weak ringgit against the US dollar.

“10kg of frozen kembung used to cost RM100, now it has gone up to RM213.”

Cassley Wong, a fishmonger at the Pudu wet market, who helps her husband run his family’s 35-year-old business, agreed with Uncle Bey.

“Kembung is a favourite of all Malaysians. There is always demand for it but there is not enough supply, which is pushing the price up. There is too much demand for the fish.

“Since kembung is caught locally and can be transported within the day to markets in the country, this also drives the price up,” she said.

Wong sells 1kg of fresh kembung for RM20-RM22 while frozen ones are sold for RM15. She gets her supply of fresh kembung from Kedah and Terengganu, and sometimes even Thailand. The frozen kembung is imported from India.

“My customers may not be buying the same quantity as before, but they are still willing to pay for it.”

She said a family of six used to buy six pieces of kembung, one for each family member, but now they buy half the amount. Besides kembung, Wong said her customers’ favourites are senagin (fourfinger threadfin) and kerapu (grouper).

According to the latest data from the statistics department dated March 22, the price of kembung went up by RM4.08 during the movement-control order. One kilo of pelaling (small Indian mackerel) costs RM9.21 while fresh kembung is priced at RM13.71.

Healthier option

Customers met by The Malaysian Insight at both wet markets agreed that the price of kembung, and seafood in general, have gone up drastically, but they would rather eat fish than chicken or beef.

Jamilah Mohd, 65, was pushing a trolley filled to the brim with fresh vegetables, fish and meat when met at the Chow Kit market. She travels from her home in Taman Melati, Gombak to the wet market every week to do her grocery shopping.

Jamilah, who has to feed a family of nine, said that although the price of seafood has gone up, she still prefers to eat fish over chicken or beef.

“I spend around RM300 a week to feed my family. Today I bought 1kg of jenahak (snapper) for RM28 and selar (yellowtail scad) for RM19 per kg.

“The price keeps going up but my family likes to eat fish every alternate day. The fish I bought today will last for three to four days,” she said.

She also bought 2kg of frozen small kembung (pelaling), which was priced at RM5 per kg.

“The big ones are too expensive,” she remarked.

Mohd Fouad, another customer at the Chow Kit market, said that he prefers siakap (barramundi) to kembung (Indian mackerel) as it is fresher and cheaper.

“I don’t like kembung. It’s very difficult to find fresh kembung, and not to mention, it is very expensive. You can’t buy it for less than RM10.

“I prefer locally caught siakap. It’s fresh and I bought two kilogrammes of the fish for RM16,” he said.

Like Jamilah, Mohd Aziz Mohd Ishak, 69, said his family also prefers eating fish. However, instead of kembung, he prefers tenggiri (Spanish mackerel).

“I don’t buy kembung anymore. It used to be a poor person’s fish, now it’s too expensive, at least RM22 per kilogramme. Before the MCO it was only RM7 per kilogramme,” he said.

Aziz lives in Serdang but prefers to shop in Pudu for his family of five as it is cheaper.

“I live in Serdang but I like to shop here. If I buy in Serdang, for the same items, I’ll have to spend at least RM50 more.

“One kilo of tenggiri here is RM25 or RM27. In Serdang, it’s being sold for RM35 per kilogram. I like tenggiri, I use it to make curry,” he said.

He added that he spends around RM150 a week on groceries from the market.

Similarly, Jainul Abdeen, 65, when met at the Pudu wet market, said he too prefers eating fish as it was healthier.

He visits Pudu market once or twice a week and, each time, he spends around RM100 to RM150 on fresh goods.

In his shopping bag, Jainul had 1kg of selar, which he bought for RM10, 1kg of ikan pasir (threadfin bream) for RM18 and 1kg of prawns for RM30.

“There are six of us and we prefer fish over chicken because it is a healthier option,” he said. – April 17, 2021.