GEORGE TOWN: The prices of prayer paraphernalia may have gone up by 30% for this year’s Chinese New Year, but the sales continue to increase.
However, the high demand for the items, especially joss sticks, has caused problems for traders as stocks are limited.
Kenny Lim, 39, a fourth generation trader, said the lack of stock was probably due to the increased prices of the ingredients to make joss sticks.
“I heard that the prices for Chinese mugwort and agarwood have gone up,” he said.
Lim added that most of his regular customers would buy medium-priced joss sticks and that the more expensive ones with a dragon carving would be bought by those who could afford them.
However, he noted that among the most sought-after joss sticks were small ones with a dragon motif that only cost RM9 per piece and were popular among those residing in apartments and high-rise buildings.
“Many people live in apartments and condominiums nowadays, so they prefer to buy small joss sticks that they can use in their house,” he said.
Big blessings: Jessica (right) showing a customer a giant pineapple-shaped prayer item at her shop in George Town in preparation for the Jade Emperor’s birthday. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
Temples would usually buy bigger joss sticks to be used for prayers, Lim added.
Fellow prayer paraphernalia trader Pun Lay Hoon, 60, said although the prices had increased, people continued to buy joss sticks because they wanted to use them for prayers.
“The price of one giant joss stick can now cost more than RM100 depending on the design compared to before the pandemic, when it only cost about RM70 to RM80,” she said.
“Most customers know that the prices of the items have increased, but they have not complained about it.
“If it’s affordable for them, they will go ahead and buy the joss sticks,” she said.
The items she sells range from as cheap as RM10 to more than RM300, depending on her customers’ wants.
When asked if there was a shortage of joss sticks, Pun said this was due to the high demand for the item during the festive period.
“After more than two years of muted Chinese New Year celebrations, everyone wants to have a meaningful year with prayers this time around,” she added.
Another trader, Jessica Lim, 60, said after two years of the pandemic, business was back to normal as people were returning to her shop to buy prayer items.
“The most popular prayer item right now is the pineapple paraphernalia, which they will use during the celebration of the Jade Emperor’s birthday,” she noted.
She added that most of the items she sells are affordable, with prices ranging from RM20 to RM500.