THE government must investigate why vegetable prices have doubled in the last two weeks and immediately bring prices down, the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) said.

Its president Mohideen Abdul Kader said prices are expected to be even higher in the coming weeks. 

“Some retailers have complained that distributors and wholesalers have warned them that the prices of other vegetables are likely to go up in the next few weeks,” he said in a statement today. 

He cited as examples, the price of short mustard greens, which previously cost RM3 but is now RM9. 

Cauliflower has also gone up from RM7 to RM16, a 100% increase, while red chillies which were previously RM13 are higher at RM19, and green chillies are RM14 from RM10.

“The low-income group will be severely affected by the rising prices of goods and traders who raise prices excessively,” Mohideen said. 

He urged the enforcement division of the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs to immediately investigate, including possible violations of the Anti-Profiteering Act 2010. 

Mohideen also regretted that the call by the consumer body for the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) to control the marketing and distribution of vegetables was ignored. – November 23, 2021.