GEORGE TOWN: The Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP) has urged the government to expedite the creation of Green Lanes for essential supplies to be transported nationwide with minimal restrictions during the Movement Control Order (MCO).
Its president, Mohideen Abdul Kader, said the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) should help farmers deliver their produce to respective destinations before the prices of vegetables burden consumers.
He said this is undoubtedly a critical time for the country – vegetable farmers with produce to sell and consumers with demand for the items.
"But somewhere in between, the supply chain is grossly dysfunctional. Thus, farmers are holding onto their produce and consumers are anticipating vegetable prices to increase as early as next week.
"According to CAP's market sources, the demand for vegetables is there, but there is short supply. When we enquired from the largest vegetable producers in the country, Cameron Highlands, they explained that they are in such a predicament due to transportation problems to deliver the vegetables to markets.
"We reiterate what we said more than a week ago to policymakers – create Green Lanes for essential supplies to be transported nationwide with minimal restrictions. Fama should help farmers deliver their produce to the respective destinations before the prices of vegetables burden consumers," he said today.
Mohideen said Fama should live up to its name and get its act together.
"Fama should play their role in organising and coordinating transportation for farmers to help them reach out to consumers. This is no time for bureaucracy or sitting on laurels as the entire country is in distress.
"Creating Green Lanes is not rocket science and the European Union (EU) envisaged it at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Food is essential if a country does not want more problems on their hands, as a food shortage can cause food prices to rocket in times of economic doldrums," he said, adding that the EU, comprising 27 countries, already has Green Lanes operational for the transportation of essential goods such as food, medical and protective equipment, and packaging material for essential goods since March.
Yesterday, the CAP expressed shock that some retailers are selling their goods way above normal prices.
It had said that a report claimed that Indian onions are being sold at 53.85 per cent above their normal price of RM6.50 per kilogramme at wet markets and sundry shops here. The prices of other vegetables are also affected.
It had urged the government to monitor food prices and also ensure that the food supply chain is uninterrupted.
It was reported that the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Department will step up enforcement to check the prices of vegetables and essential food items in supermarkets, markets and grocery stores here following complaints of price hikes.
State director Mohd Ridzuan Ab Ghapar had said that it received complaints of price hikes for certain food items such as vegetables, especially onions, and had instructed enforcement teams to investigate such complaints.
The department received some 555 complaints about the supply and price of items since the Movement Control Order (MCO) started on March 18.