Veggie prices to soar due to unseasonal rain – report

Veggie prices to soar due to unseasonal rain – report


Incessant downpours hitting the nation have affected the supply of crops, thus creating a situation where vegetable prices may soar in the near future, according to a report by Channel News Asia.

Malaysian Wholesaler Vegetable Association president Steven Lee told the news portal that continuous rainfall has reduced supply by 20 to 30 percent in crop-producing areas such as Malacca, Cameron Highlands, Pahang and markets in parts of Kuala Lumpur.

"Typically, during the third quarter of the year, between July and October, the weather will be good and there will be a supply rebalancing. Farmers will get a good crop yield and prices will fall.

"But this year, we have not seen this at all and prices are increasing, and likely to continue to rise," he said.

Meanwhile, Yong Peng Vegetable Farmers’ Association chairperson Cheng Tai Hoe said that the crop supply for farmers in north Johor has dropped approximately 20 percent in the past month.

He said that a drop in supply would lead to price increases due to market forces, which would result in those with better purchasing power buying off limited supplies.

Greenhouses

Taking into consideration the unpredictable weather patterns, Lee said that farmers were considering enacting greenhouses.

"For farms with greenhouses, the impact of prolonged hot weather or rain is much less. The heavy rain does not impact these businesses as the crop yield is more consistent.

"In fact, during periods when prices are high due to a drop in supply, farmers who use these greenhouses win because they are able to reap higher revenues," he was quoted as saying.

In a statement today, the Malaysian Meteorological Department (Met Malaysia) forecasted that the rainy season would continue for the next few months.

It noted that several parts of the nation should expect the rainy season to continue until mid-September.

However, it cautioned that rain is likely to be expected in many parts of the country until February next year due to the annual northeast monsoon, which usually takes place from October until March.