Market a hive of activity — thanks to fruit season
KAPIT: The Terasang Market here has been abuzz with activity over the last fortnight as buyers rush to get their share of seasonal fruits.
More fruits have appeared here this season as gardeners from Song District have also brought their fruits to Kapit for access to better prices and more buyers thanks to the Kapit- Song road.
Sellers who do not have stalls at the market are undeterred, displaying their produce wherever there is space, such as by the roadside opposite the Kapit Post Office and in front of the Hock Leong Ten Tai Pek Kong Temple at the riverfront.
In season now are rambutans, langsat, ‘dabai’, ‘mawang’, and of course the ‘ King of Fruits’ – the durian.
Kapit Chinese Chamber of Commerce chairman Ling Hung Ping said the durian varieties available here are among the best.
“My friends, they f lew to Peninsular Malaysia to enjoy the Musang King recently, but to me Kapit durians at the doorstep are even better. Here, we have great varieties and tastes,” he said.
He described the varieties of durian here as having complex flavours with some sweet, others slightly bitter, while some have ‘the fragrance of milk powder’.
The price of durians ranges from RM5 to RM15 each, or RM10 to RM20 for a bunch of up to four durians, depending on the quality of the fruit.
At present, rambutans cost between RM2 and RM3 per bunch, while langsat is being sold for around RM12 per kilogramme.
As for the highly- sought after ‘dabai’ – the ‘local olives’ – at the start of the season prices began at RM18 per kilogramme depending on the grade, but have now dropped to between RM10 and RM15 per kilogramme.