KUALA LUMPUR: A preliminary report on the food supply chain study carried out by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) found excessive profiteering of up to 133% involving a popular item.
Without disclosing the product, its minster Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said this was detected at the importer and wholesaler stage.
According to him, consumers have no choice as the product is fully imported.
“The findings have been verified. When I read the report it was acknowledged that the element existed and I called the industry involved,“ he told reporters here today.
He said action would be taken to address the problem.
In the meantime, he said the import permit suspension for Vietnamese chillies since Sept 14 last year after they were found to contain pesticide residues above the permissible level, is still being enforced.
“Following the ban on Vietnamese chillies, our alternative to ensure adequate supply is to import chillies from other countries like Thailand,“ he added. — Bernama
