By The Straits Times | Created at 2025-01-15 04:24:22 | Updated at 2025-01-15 08:47:53
4 hours ago
JOHOR BAHRU - Despite a slight dip in customers over the past few days due to rainy weather, nurseries in Johor expect brisk sales as Chinese New Year draws closer.
Mr Michael Ng, who runs a nursery in Permas Jaya, said many of his customers started shopping for popular Chinese New Year plants earlier in 2025.
“Usually, preparations for Chinese New Year are in full swing about two to three weeks before the festival, but it seems to have started earlier this year,” he said.
“This has helped cover the slight drop in customers we experienced over the past few days because of the wet and gloomy weather.
“However, I believe people will still go out to buy these plants as Chinese New Year approaches, even if the weather remains the same.”
Mr Ng, 48, added that plants such as orange and kumquat trees, chrysanthemums, lucky bamboo and orchids remain popular choices.
“I have decided not to raise the prices of our plants despite an increase in costs of about 10 per cent to 15 per cent,” he said, adding that he hopes a higher customer turnout will offset the additional costs.
Nursery manager Chong Jun Jie, 30, said there has been a slight increase in sales for Chinese New Year in 2025 compared with the previous year.
“The rain has indeed affected business, with fewer customers coming in. However, when the rain stops, the crowd return.
“In fact, sales this year are better than last year, especially earlier this month before the rainy season began,” he said, adding that he expects the crowd to grow 10 days before Chinese New Year.
Mr Chong added that apart from locals, the nursery he manages at Danga Sutera is also frequented by Singaporean visitors.
“They are prohibited from bringing soil into Singapore due to border regulations. As such, they cannot take away potted plants.
“However, they can still purchase lucky bamboo, which is very popular for Chinese New Year, from here,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Johnny Teng, who manages another nursery in Perling, said sales for the upcoming Chinese New Year are better compared with the pre-pandemic years.
“Sales for Chinese New Year have been improving year by year since the Covid-19 pandemic, and I believe this year’s sales will be even better than pre-Covid-19.
“We have also chosen not to increase the price of the plants, and this may have helped drive sales,” he said.
Mr Teng added that the flowers in 2025 are more abundant and fresher compared with the past few years.
“There was a supply shortage in previous years due to weather conditions and because flower farmers were just restarting their operations after the pandemic.
“However, that is no longer an issue now, and the weather has been favourable for flowering plants,” he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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