CONSUMERS can expect a shortage of selected fruits due to the current heatwave and erratic weather affecting orchards in the country, farmers said. 

The Federation of Vegetable Farmers Associations Lim Ser Kwee said he is unsure how long this would last. 

He said there was a shortage of pineapples as a result of the heatwave.

“If the fruits are not stored properly then they will rot, as is the case with watermelon. 

“The weather has damaged up to at least 30% of pineapple crops. They have to be discarded. Even soursop is also affected,” he told The Malaysian Insight. 

He said their price for a 1kg pineapple is more than RM2 and if a farmer grows more than 1,000 or even 10,000 fruits then they could suffer big losses if the fruits are not sold quickly. 

It was reported that several watermelon traders in Kedah have suffered losses due to a glut and spoilage as a result of the hot weather. 

Traders in Ayer Hitam, Jerlun, who get about 10 tonnes of watermelon for two weeks’ supply, had to discard almost a tonne of rotten fruits.

Johor Fruit Farmers Association president Alvin Lo said there has been a drop of 60% to 70% production of papaya due to the heatwave. 

“This is because of the weather. We were also affected in March because of the floods. 

“Just when we were starting to recover, the heatwave hit. If there is not enough water then the flowering can easily be damaged. 

“If bad weather persists then we could be affected in the next three months. Even during the fasting month there was a shortage of watermelon because of the weather.”

He also said there could be a shortage of bananas as not many are being grown, owing to a lack of manpower, supplies and water.

“In the last two years our costs for workers, salary, compost, and weed killers have gone up by 30% but the prices of fruits have not increased by much.” – May 15, 2023.