KUALA LUMPUR: The government must consider immediate measures to ease the possible increase in vegetable prices, including importing more vegetables to boost supply or implementing subsidies to keep prices affordable.
Consumers Association of Subang and Shah Alam president Datuk Seri Dr Jacob George said such interventions would help mitigate the impact of rising prices until market conditions stabilised.
"For example, if the prices increase by 80 per cent, the government could subsidise the prices by 50 per cent until prices stabilise, so it does not impact the public.
"However, the government must already be looking at long-term goals as flooding or extreme weather conditions in the country is a yearly occurrence," he told the New Straits Times.
George said the flooding wiped out not just vegetables but also very fertile irrigated rice fields, and also impacted fishing, livestock farmers in the country.
"It affects every item on the plate," he said.
He added that the situation reflected poorly on those in charge of food security.
"We should have already learned from the past."
George added that the government should now move forward and start thinking about setting up a task force, composed of experts, such as consumer activists, civil society and the media, to look at the whole issue of food security through a fresh perspective.
He also said the government could prepare a white paper on food security to address the country's shortcomings and better prepare Malaysia for food security.
"The rest of Asean nations have already set up task forces. Countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar have their food security policies ready.
"We need political will to do what is right for the country," he added.
George was commenting on a report that the prices of several types of vegetables were expected to rise by more than 50 per cent until the end of the month due to unpredictable weather conditions caused by the monsoon transition phase.
Cameron Highlands Vegetable Farmers Organisation president Datuk Chai Kok Lim said heavy rainfall and flooding in several states have led to a decrease in vegetable supply.