GEORGE TOWN – Penang’s Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry has detected a 100% increase in vegetable prices last week.
Its director, Mohd Ridzuan Ab Ghapar, said that the monitoring carried out by officials since November 27 observed a sharp hike in the prices of some vegetables – especially those sold in the wet market.
“Among the vegetables selling with a price increase of between 4% and 100% are beans, kailan, cauliflower, mustard, round cabbage, and round eggplant.
“The vegetables that experienced a price increase of up to 100% last week were beans,” he told a press conference after a walkabout at the Bayan Baru wet market and Sunshine supermarket, here.
Ridzuan said, however, there were also vegetables that were selling cheaper such as tomatoes (43%), broccoli (27.7%) and musk oranges (31.5%).
He said he believed that the price increase was a temporary effect, influenced by several factors including climate change, the floods in Cameron Highlands, and rising agricultural costs.
The Penang Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry has engaged with the Agriculture Ministry to identify the real cause of the price increase.
“Actually, there are many factors contributing to the price increase. We are also still investigating if this matter involves middlemen who are alleged to have deliberately increased prices.
“We will look back at the data obtained and are now in the process of reviewing the data. The results will be sent to Putrajaya for further action.”
Meanwhile, Ridzuan said the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry also implemented Op Menu from November 6 to December 31 to address the issue of price manipulation by restaurants and eatery operators.
Commenting on the issue of fried squid being sold at RM100 at Hameediyah Restaurant recently, he said the issue has been resolved.
“The investigation paper will be submitted to the Putrajaya Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry for further action,” he said. – The Vibes, December 1, 2021
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