A DROP in production caused by unfavourable weather conditions and labour shortage has driven prices of most vegetables up by between 30% and 50%.
Kuala Lumpur Vegetable Wholesalers Association president Wong Keng Fatt disclosed that the prices of leguminous greens and most leafy vegetables have risen by 30% to 40%.
“Some leafy greens are 50% more costly now,” he said.
However, the prices of gourd vegetables have yet to see a significant increase.
“The price of long beans has gone up from RM4 to RM7 per kg, and other leguminous greens such as four-angled beans are being retailed at RM8 per kg, compared with just RM5 to RM6 not so long ago.”
Wong told China Press in an interview that the prices of all leafy vegetables, such as kai lan, pak choy and choy sum have also gone up to RM3 a kg, from RM2 before.
“And the price of kai choy has gone up by 50%, from RM2 per kg to RM4 per kg.”
Meanwhile, Malaysian Vegetable Farmers Association president Lim Si Wei said the price of red chilli is hovering at around RM20 per kg, up by about RM2.
The price of green chilli is at RM14 to RM15 a kg, after an increase of about RM2 per kg.
Because of the big different in prices, many farmers allow their chilli to turn from green to red before harvesting them.
Lim said although the import of chilli from Thailand has alleviated the shortage, the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on greens exporting countries such as China means that imported greens are no longer cheap like before.
He said the rainy season has affected the price of greens such as lady’s fingers, for which the price has gone up to RM5 to RM6 a kg, from RM2 per kg before.
He added that apart from the weather, a shortage of labour has also greatly affected production.
