For the Year of the Rooster, expect your relatives to be crowing about the higher prices of traditional Chinese New Year items such as abalone, fish maw and scallops around the reunion dinner table. For example, a can of New Moon abalone from New Zealand is now tagged at $39.80 in Giant — it’s a sizeable increase from $33.80 last year. Some of the reasons for the higher prices include the decrease of abalone production in the past two years and the depreciating Singapore dollar.
According to The Straits Times, the prices of mandarin oranges are also expected to see a rise of 10 to 15 percent this year. But even though we’re at the peak period of prices for these delicacies (since Chinese New Year is just at the end of the month), retailers have assured that they will offer package deals, and supermarkets are absorbing part of the price hike to give customers more affordable choices.
Or perhaps chicken can be a fair alternative — it’s the Year of the Rooster, after all.
