Price hike due to wet weather, say traders

Costlier than usual: People buying vegetables at a stall at KIP Mart in Tampoi, Johor Baru.

GEORGE TOWN: Weeks of wet weather have affected vegetable yields from farms outside Penang, causing prices of leafy greens to increase by as much as about 20%.

A check by The Star found that various types of vegetables from Cameron Highlands cost more compared to a week ago.

Traders met at a popular market in Taman Lip Sin attributed the price hike to poor weather conditions at the highlands.

Vegetable seller Yaneki Gan, 26, said prices for vegetables from Cameron Highlands increased between 10% and 20% this week.

“Our suppliers from Cameron Highlands have increased their prices, so we have to adjust our prices here as well.

“The bad weather has affected vegetable yields. Hence, prices of vegetables went up,” she said.

Another trader Annie Tan, 46, said although the prices of vegetables had increased, it was “not that much”.

“Vegetable production was affected because of the cold and wet weather.

“Therefore, a little price increase is unavoidable,” she said.

Tan also said the price hike this week could be due to the increase in labour charges in view of the long weekend holiday.

“Suppliers may have to hire foreign workers to work during the holidays in place of locals.

“This may cause extra labour costs, hence causing the suppliers to slightly increase their prices,” she said.

The long weekend was due to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V’s official birthday on Sunday and Awal Muharram today.

Company supervisor M. Santha, 51, was one of the many shoppers, spotted selecting fresh vegetables.

“I buy my vegetables here but sometimes, I go to the Bayan Baru market as well. It depends on where is more convenient for me.

“I can understand if the traders increase the prices of vegetables as the weather is quite unpredictable these days.

“So far, I didn’t notice that much difference in the prices,” said Santha.

Another market-goer, who only wished to be known as Ong, 50, said he did not mind the slight price increase as long as the vegetables were fresh.

“It is understandable for prices to go up because of the rainy weather.

“I come here regularly to do my grocery shopping and find that the produce here are good and fresh,” he said.

Penang Island Vegetable Whole­salers Association chairman Tan Ban Ben said there was no significant increase in the prices of locally grown vegetables.

“The rainy season did not really affect vegetable yields here on Penang island and mainland because there was no high tide. Hence, there were no floods at the farms here.

“In fact, local vegetables like cucumber, lady’s fingers, long beans, kangkung and bayam are sold at a lower price at markets now due to oversupply.

“However, if there is continuous rain in the next few days, there may be a hike in the prices,” he said.

Tan agreed that prices of vegetables from Cameron Highlands such as tomato and cabbage had increased.

“The wet weather over there caused the yields to drop and prices of vegetables to go up.

“If vegetables from Cameron Highlands are slightly expensive in the markets, then choose the local ones for now,” he said.