GEORGE TOWN: The Consumers' Association of Penang (Cap) has asked the relevant authorities to carry out an immediate investigation into the exorbitant price hike of onions.
Cap president Mohideen Abdul Kader said the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry and the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) must probe whether the increase is justified and also to check on the quality of the onions.
"Cap is very concerned about the rapid increase in the price of onions sold in Penang markets.
"A Cap market survey carried out in Penang shows that the price of onions imported from India has increased to RM9 per kg. During Christmas, the price of onions was controlled at RM5 per kg and it had increased by almost 100 per cent in about two weeks," he said today.
Mohideen said wholesalers had claimed that the problem started when the supply from India stopped.
"They (wholesalers) also added that from a 10kg sack of imported onions, only 60 per cent could be sold while the other 40 per cent were damaged and rotten.
"As such, we want the authorities to carry out a targeted and immediate investigation into this," he added.
Cap is calling on both Fama and the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry to carry out an immediate investigation into the exorbitant price hike of onions, whether the increase is justified, and also to check on the quality of the onion.