SINGAPORE – Fishmongers at several wet markets around the island were closed but it was business as usual at meat and vegetable stalls as residents largely stuck to their regular Sunday grocery run.
Crowds at Yuhua Village Market, for instance, formed long but orderly lines and observed social distancing when The Straits Times visited.
Stallholder Mariati Rahim, 44, who sells halal beef, lamb and poultry, said business was brisk at her wet market stall.
“This is because of Hari Raya Haji, and we are the only halal stall open now in this wet market,” she said.
The Muslim festival of Hari Raya Haji is on Tuesday, which is also a public holiday.
Other stallholders, like the one selling pork and run by a lady who wanted to be known only as Madam Goh, said crowds were slightly better than they were on Saturday (June 17) likely because fishmongers there are all closed today, and people are less worried.
However, Madam Goh, 69, said she is worried that someone in the wet market and food centre will test positive, and she would have to close.
“If business is affected further, we just have to put up the white flag,” she said.
A 63-year-old sundry shop owner, who wanted to be known only as Mr Ong, also said business was not affected after the cluster at the fishery port and hawker centre was reported.
He said: “There are no clusters in our area as of now, and people tend to come and stock up in advance in case things get more difficult to buy if the situation gets worse.”
In Pasir Ris, a resident, Mr Mark Lim, 58, said he was unable to get his usual supply of seabass, cod, and salmon.
Mr Lim, who is an IT consultant, said: “I didn’t manage to get any fish today, everything was snapped up. I have been vaccinated, but I am still worried about the cluster.
Madam Aida, 50, who frequents both Tekka Market and the market in Pasir Ris, said she bought most of her seafood last week, so she is not affected by the supply disruption.
She said: “But you can tell there isn’t much seafood today, it has also been harder to get other seafood like prawns. For those doing their last-minute shopping for Hari Raya, it would also be harder for them.”
At the market in Block 505 Jurong West Street 52, pork seller Jessica Tan, 55, said she has not experienced such bad business in her 33 years of operations.
“I’ve only managed to sell about 30 or 40 per cent of my pork today. I don’t know what to do if things continue this way,” she said.
Ms Tan said apart from the recent clusters in Jurong Fishery Port affecting fishmongers at wet markets, false rumours have been circulating about a stallholder in Jurong West getting Covid-19 and urging people to avoid the market.
She said: “So many people have asked me if it was true. Please help to spread the word that no one has been infected here. If so, the market would be closed by now.”
