Govt checking on prices of vegetables nationwide

KUALA TERENGGANU: Nationwide checks are being conducted by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry following claims that vegetable prices had risen by as much as 200%.

Deputy Minister Datuk Rosol Wahid said 43 premises and 131 types of vegetables such as choy sum (sawi), beans, broccoli and red chillies were inspected yesterday.

According to Bernama, he said the inspections covered all levels of the distribution network, including suppliers, wholesalers and retailers.

“The ministry has never taken complaints of consumers and traders on the increase in the price of goods in the market lightly because we also have families and friends who are feeling this repercussion.

“The ministry has issued 43 information verification notices and 40 notices to traders to confirm whether there is an element of profiteering or taking excessive profits from the sale of vegetables,” he said when met at a consumer safety campaign programme in Kuala Berang yesterday.

Rosol added that the traders were given two days to respond, while for written notices, a period of five days was allocated to obtain feedback.

At the same time, he said a total of 1,000 price monitoring officers were assigned to monitor 1,500 locations daily to review and record changes in vegetable prices in the market.

In a separate development, Rosol, who is also Hulu Terengganu MP, said Gardenia Bakeries (KL) Sdn Bhd was expected to respond to the ministry’s call to temporarily postpone the increase in bread prices from Wednesday.

He said the recommendation was conveyed to the company in a meeting on Friday to seek justification for the price change.

“We are also thinking of mechanisms to help them (Gardenia), who are also affected by the increase in wheat prices, which has led to the increase in bread prices.

“We want to create a win-win situation for both parties, where traders do not have to close the factory while consumers are not burdened with a price increase of even 10 sen,” he said.