Quota on sale of vegetable seeds needed to prevent oversupply of greens, says former deputy minister

PETALING JAYA: A quota on the sale of seeds to vegetable farmers is needed to prevent an oversupply of greens in the market, said Sim Tze Tzin.

The former deputy agriculture and agro-based industry minister said that this was the only way to prevent the repeat of the largest dumping of vegetables in the country by farmers recently.

"To overcome the problem of oversupply, the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry, particularly the Agriculture Department, could control the sale of vegetable seeds to avoid over planting.

"For example, if the demand for cabbage is a million head per month, the sale of seeds should be fixed at a quota of 1.1 million seeds a month," the Bayan Baru MP said in a statement on Sunday (May 7),

Last month, The Star reported that farmers in Lojing, Kelantan were disposing of at least six tonnes of cucumber a day owing to a supply glut in March and April.

The oversupply saw the produce selling at between 30sen and 50sen per kilo compared with RM4 and RM5 the month before.

Also affected were vegetable growers in Cameron Highlands, who offered the oversupply for free to those who were willing to collect it themselves, after it was highlighted that tonnes were being dumped.

Sim said that all stakeholders involved in the sector such as farmers, wholesalers and importers must register with the ministry through the Federal Marketing Authority (Fama) to ensure that proper information on the situation is obtained.

"Farmers lost millions due to the largest oversupply of vegetables in recent history.

"This problem was due to lack of market information and farmers sowing without having a plan," he said, adding that the lack of demand during the long festive break also contributed to the problem.

Sim said that a quota on the sale of vegetable seeds is currently implemented by authorities in Europe, particularly in the Netherlands.