Tourist boom and hipster cafes in Cameron Highlands drive up food prices

PETALING JAYA - New tourist attractions as well as “hipster” and franchise cafes that have popped up in many parts of Pahang over recent years have driven up food prices, say residents.

Tengku Zulfadzil Tengku Mohamed Ariffin, the owner of Blue Cabins homestay in Cameron Highlands, said many new attractions that have opened up in the area, such as the Hobbiton Village in Flora Park, are attracting more tourists, inevitably increasing food prices.

“Food price increases in the area are affecting most food items, especially those that go viral and get hyped up on social media.

“The price for nasi lemak with any chicken dish, for instance, can go up to RM19 (S$5.50) a plate.

“Prices of snacks that are popular in Cameron (Highlands) like scones, cakes and others are also getting more expensive,” said the 50-year-old.

Mr Zulfadzil said there are sellers who take advantage by raising prices when there are many tourists.

“They inflate prices and give Cameron a bad name.

“Prices for strawberries and corn can go up and down depending on the season – it would be more expensive during holidays or weekends, but cheaper on weekdays,” he added.

Mr Zulfadzil said not only have food prices increased, but also the cost of other basic necessities including transportation, electricity tariffs, water, tax and rent.

He said this is caused by demand exceeding supply.

“We avoid eating out whenever possible to avoid having to spend a lot on food,” he said.

Others living in surrounding areas are also feeling the heat from rising food prices.

Ms Azatul Afzan Mat Dui, who lives and works in Raub, Pahang, said it is almost impossible to find affordable lunch meals priced below RM10 at restaurants in the area.

“I would usually go to food stalls for lunch – only there can I get meals that cost me less than RM10.

“Even then, I noticed that a lot of the stalls have increased (their) prices.

“At the breakfast stall I usually go to, the price of one packet of nasi lemak has gone up by RM1, from RM1.50 to RM2.50,” said the 32-year-old administrative assistant.

She added that a plate of nasi ayam gepuk (fried chicken and rice) would cost her about RM8.

“I think for this meal, the price is similar to stalls in Kuala Lumpur,” she said.

Coffee lover Normasaidatul Fasihah Mohd said she noticed that coffee prices at cafes in Bentong were also going up, due to the presence of several new shops.

“I think prices have generally spiked after Covid-19.

“I could get a cup of iced latte at RM7 back then, but now the cheapest is around RM9,” said the 33-year-old document controller.

She added that a lot of franchise cafes have also opened in the area.

“There are a lot of franchise cafes and convenience stores like Bask Bear, Richiamo Coffee and Family Mart,” she said.

She said that for cafes that sell Western food, prices would usually be above RM12.

“We could previously get it for about RM10.

“Even a dish like chicken rice ranges between RM7 and RM10,” she said.

Ms Normasaidatul said the price hikes have impacted her daily food expenses.

“Now, I have to choose wisely and allocate a budget of RM10 to RM20 per day for food,” she said, adding that she no longer goes to cafes as often as she used to.

Mr Ahmad Sabri, a hawker and the owner of Layan Koner food court in Raub, said competition from other food sellers and the high cost of raw ingredients make it difficult for him to sell food at low prices.

“We have few customers but a lot of food establishments like food courts, fast-food cafes and food stalls, so the competition is pretty stiff.

“The prices of raw food in a small town like Raub are also more expensive, compared with in bigger cities where these items are more accessible,” he said.

Mr Ahmad said the cheapest item at his stall is nasi lemak, at RM3, while the most expensive is “Shellout” (mixed seafood) which costs RM35. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK