Phua says prices of vegetables across the board in Johor Baru have stabilised since October due to good harvest, except for fresh red chillies, but floods may cause a price increase.
Monsoon deluge may affect supply and cost, say traders
CONSUMERS are likely to pay more for greens should floods start to affect Johor’s major vegetable producing-districts, namely Johor Baru, Kota Tinggi and Kluang.
Federation of Vegetable Farmers Association president Lim Ser Kwee said the situation was normal as of Nov 28, despite downpours.
“We are experiencing the northeast monsoon, which generally occurs from November to March and brings heavy rainfall.”
Lim said as long as continuous heavy rainfall did not cause severe flooding, the vegetable harvest would not be badly affected and the prices of greens would likely remain stable.
“However, vegetable prices are not static and can change depending on the season, weather and market demand.”
Lim said consumers would be paying more for vegetables arriving from Pahang, should the year-end floods start to hit the east coast state.
Ming Hui Tani Trading proprietor Phua Ming Hui said vegetable prices across the board in Johor Baru had generally stabilised since October, except for fresh red chillies.
Taupek Kasim: Prices of fish and other seafood, except prawns, have started to increase since last month.
He said red chillies were selling for RM19 per kilogramme last month against RM17 in October, while the price of fresh green chillies had remained at RM16 per kilogramme since October.
“Prices of most vegetables have stabilised due to good harvests, but they may go up if floods hit Johor and Pahang.”
Phua said leafy vegetables such as kangkung, spinach and Chinese cabbage were at RM8 per kg since October, while Beijing cabbage was at RM7.
He said ladies’ fingers and purple brinjals were priced at RM9 per kg respectively, while cucumbers and tomatoes were at RM4.50.
Thaqif Qastari Enterprise proprietor Mohd Taupek Kasim said prices of seafood had started to increase at the start of the year-end monsoon season.
“Rough sea conditions and strong winds are contributing to the price hike for fish and other seafood.”
Taupek said, for instance, prices of cuttlefish had gone up from RM38 per kg in October to RM43 last month and might keep increasing until early next year.
He said big-eyed scad (ikan selar besar) was selling at RM28 per kg, from RM20, but the price of black pomfret had remained the same at RM30 per kg since September.
“However, there are lower prices for prawns due to bountiful harvests,” said Taupek.
The price of small-sized prawns, he said, had dropped from RM31 per kg in September and October to RM29 per kg last month.
He said medium-sized prawns were selling for RM35 from RM38 previously while large prawns were selling at RM36 per kg, down from RM40.
