THE temperate climate in Cameron Highlands is very conducive for vegetable and flower cultivation. It is cold at night, warm during the day, sufficient rainfall, good drainage, and sunny throughout the year. Flower cultivation in Cameron Highlands has advantage over countries like Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong because of its year round sunny weather. Malaysia exports flowers, especially Chrysanthemum that is in great demand during celebrations and religious festivities in those countries, including Thailand.

Even Singapore acknowledges the contribution of farmers from Cameron Highlands. Millions of tourist arrivals are welcomed through its four modern airport terminals lushly cultivated vertically with plants and beautifully placed potted flowers mainly from Cameron Highlands. In fact, its world-famed flower dome, also known as cloud forest, is being advertised as the second Cameron Highlands.

Acute labour shortage is the biggest problem faced by farmers in Cameron Highlands. As a result of labour shortage, yields are not at optimum level. Harvesting and replanting are delayed.

Farmers have to rely mostly on foreign workers not because of their comparative lower wages, but because locals prefer not to work in the farms. Even if wages are paid higher than foreign workers, the absentee rate and job changing among locals are usually high, a sure disincentive for any employer. The starting wages of an unskilled foreign worker is RM1,100, rising to RM2,500 for a foreman. Farmers rely on agents to help apply for foreign workers, which is a long and tedious wait, after meeting the requirements of the Immigration Department. Some farmers have been waiting for more than six months to be called to pay the levy even after the initial approval has been obtained.

Farm workers leaving one employment for another seeking higher wages are common, much to the loss of the original employer who spent for work permit and agent fees. With a high levy on each worker, a usually exorbitant agent fee, and a frustrating wait in the processing, farmers previously had little motivation to support the system legally.

The temporary occupancy lease (TOL) land is another big issue in Cameron Highlands. Application processing for the TOL land from deserving ones has either come to a halt or conducted at snail pace. In the past there were people allocated a hundred acres of TOL land. Many received more than 50 acres. These are those usually with political connections.

The common folk receive about three acres each. These are the ones who pass it on to their children, who in turn worked hard on the land turning every square meter into profitable income. Those who managed to obtain large tracts of land could rent or sell some. Rental for each acre is about RM2,000 per month. A good piece of TOL land by the roadside can be sold for more than half a million ringgit even though it is not a legal transfer.

The TOL land in Cameron Highlands requires yearly license renewal, at RM 1,000, making it the highest in the country. A farmer has to pay a water levy of RM 400 a year for each acre of land. The local government seems to have found an innovative way to raise revenue from the mountain water which otherwise would be surface runoff.

Not only are the farmers at Cameron Highlands not given subsidy on fertilisers, or any other forms of subsidies normally given to other types of farming and agriculture, levying on the water from the mountain where each farmer has to spend RM30,000 to RM40,000 to pipe the water to their farms is an insult.

Fluctuating price of vegetables is a major headache for the vegetable farmers. The current wholesale price of sawi (brassica) is 30 sen/kg. The market retail price is RM2/kg. For big chilli the farm wholesale price is RM5/kg. The market retails at RM15 to 20/kg. Vegetable farmers are at the mercy of middlemen who dictate prices.

Floriculturists on the other hand see better stability of prices for their flowers because they deal mainly with foreign buyers. For them, incomes are more stable. Not all can become floriculturists as the capital outlay can range into millions of ringgit.

Whether vegetable or flower farmers, each has his or her problems. Like their ancestors, they worked hard, saved, earned as much as possible, and finally will pass on their family wealth to their children. They have survived for a generation or two. The least they need is for those in the government to unkindly add to their problems. – January 17, 2019.

* Captain Dr Wong Ang Peng is a researcher with an interest in economics, politics, and health issues. He has a burning desire to do anything within his means to promote national harmony. Captain Wong is also a member of the National Patriots Association.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.