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(Photo: TNP)
Plant nurseries are reporting an increase in demand for plants that are touted to have mosquito repellent properties.
Several nurseries The New Paper approached said that more people are asking about and looking for the citronella grass since news of the Zika virus being locally transmitted here broke late last month.
Sales and marketing director of Far East Flora Peter Cheok declined to reveal sales figures, but said the company had to "more than double the usual order" for mosquito-repelling plants.
It had a "few pots left" when TNP called earlier in the week. By Wednesday, it was stocking new plants.
Meanwhile, commercial repellent products are increasing using plant-based ingredientsas they are commonly perceived as "safe" and therefore popular among consumers.
Other mosquito-repelling plants include rosemary, lavender, lemongrass, peppermint and lemon balm.
Ms Joeann Chua, director of Hua Hng Trading, a wholesaler for plants and landscaping materials, said sales for Pelargonium graveolens, commonly referred to as the "mosquito plant", were "higher than normal".
She said: "The plant gives off a citronella scent and is effective in keeping mosquitoes away from a small room or space.
"We are currently totally sold out and our current incoming stocks for this week are only enough to cover some advanced orders."
ADDITIONAL ORDER
As the demand for anti-mosquito products surged, NTUC FairPrice placed an additional order for 175,000 of different types of insect repellents and insecticides.
They will arrive in batches this week and will be dispatched to its stores islandwide.
More than 115,000 anti-mosquito products were bought at its outlets from last Thursday to Sunday.
Chief executive officer of NTUC FairPrice Seah Kian Peng said: "We want to assure the community that additional stocks of anti-mosquito products are being sent to our stores and we will keep prices stable. There is no need to stock up as we will continue to bring in more supplies."
Haw Par Corporation, which owns the Tiger Balm brand, told TNP the sales of its Tiger Balm Mosquito Repellent range has risen dramatically.
"We have been gearing up for the fight against dengue for some time, but the Zika epidemic caught us by surprise," its spokesman said.
"We are ramping up and have asked our factories to step up production urgently to meet the sudden surge in demand."
Written by Judith Tan for The New Paper