Kong was able to sell his 60kg supply of dabai before the morning was over.
KAPIT (June 8): The presence of ‘buah dabai’, Sarawak’s own version of the olive, saw customers thronging the local jungle produce market at Kapit New Bazaar yesterday morning.
It was indeed brisk business for seller Kong, who saw his entire 60kg supply – priced at RM60 per kg – snapped up by eager customers before the morning was over.
A check of the three markets here, namely Terasang Market, Kapit Night Street Market, and the market next to the post office, found him to be the only one selling the fruit, due to it not being in season yet.
“I bought my supply from a farmer at his garden along Jalan Antaroh in Sut, Baleh on Tuesday afternoon,” he told The Borneo Post while attending to a customer.
According to Kong, the dabai season is normally from August to early September, and then again from December to January.
However, he believes climate change has affected when the trees bear fruit.
“During the previous dry season, many trees bore fruit but now, only some are flowering. This has limited the availability of dabai, thus pushing up the price.
“But those who bought from me didn’t mind paying because they like dabai so much,” he said.
At the end of July last year, off-season dabai were sold for between RM60 and RM95 per kg in Sibu Central Market.
Despite netizens complaining about the high prices then, the sellers reported no problem in selling out their entire supply which they had obtained from Kanowit.
Dabai are widely grown in Kanowit, Song and Kapit, with the ones from Song often said to be the best.