THE prices of food in five states rose at a higher rate than the national average in November continuing a trend which a consumer group warned would occur during the monsoon season.  

The overall cost of goods throughout the country, measured through the consumer price index (CPI) is also up compared with the same period last year.

The Statistics Department said the CPI, which tracks the prices of a basket of eight goods, rose by 3.4% to 120.8 in November 2017 compared with 116.8 in November 2016.

Prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages, a component which makes up one third of the CPI score, went up by 4% in November 2017 compared with November 2016.

Based on a seasonally adjusted term, the overall CPI for November 2017 increased 0.7% compared with October 2017.

But the component that charted the highest increase was transport, which went up by 10.8% in November, due mostly to the higher price of petrol at the pump.

The average price of one litre of RON95 petrol was RM2.30 in November 2017 compared with RM1.95 in November last year. 

“In terms of overall CPI, five states surpassed the national CPI rate of 3.4% namely Johor, Malacca, Kedah & Perlis, Selangor & Putrajaya and Penang,” said the Department of Statistics.

The CPI for food and non-alcohol beverages in five states was also higher than the national average of 4% in November.

The highest was Johor at 4.7%, Kuala Lumpur (4.6%), Malacca (4.4%), Kedah and Perlis (4.3%) and Selangor and Putrajaya (4.1%).

The higher prices for food was driven by sub-groups comprising fish and seafood (+7.6%), fruits (+4.2%), vegetables (+3.2%) and meat (+2.9%).

Food away from home, a new category, charted a 5% rise in November.

For instance, Indian mackerel (ikan kembung) was RM14.03 per kg in November 2017, compared with RM12.52 per kg in November 2016, chillies were RM14.24 a kg, up from RM12.80, while chicken was RM8.56 per kg, up from RM8.34 per kg.

Certain produce saw a drop in prices in November 2017 compared to November 2016. This included tomatoes at RM4.83 per kg, down from RM4.91 per kg, and choy sum at RM4.47 per kg down from RM4.65.   

Previously, the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) urged the government to suspend exports of fish and vegetables during the monsoon season to bring down prices.

CAP said the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry and the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority should stop exports to alleviate a domestic shortage during the monsoon season.

“The prices of vegetables, fruits and fish have increased up to 300% in the past week… due to the prevailing monsoon season over the last few weeks,” CAP president SM Mohamed Idris said.

A food policy expert, Dr Yusof Saari, blamed high prices on monopolies, a weak ringgit, and the goods and services tax (GST), which pushed prices above the national inflation rate.

As the rise in prices did not match the slower rise in wages, consumers would continue to be burdened by higher living costs, said Yusof of the Food Policy Institute (IDKM) at Universiti Putra Malaysia. – December 21, 2017.