GEORGE TOWN: The Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP) has urged the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry and the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) to take immediate steps to reduce the prices of vegetables which have shot up in recent days.
CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader said checks showed that the prices of some vegetables had increased by up to 200 per cent in the past two weeks.
He said several retailers complained that distributors and wholesalers had warned them that the prices of other vegetables may go up in the coming weeks.
"As such, CAP calls on the enforcement division of the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry to investigate the price increases as average income earners will be badly affected by escalating prices of goods.
"Authorities must also crackdown on traders who hike their prices excessively and violate the Anti-Profiteering Act 2010," he said today.
Checks showed that prices of sawi pendek (choy sum) has increased from RM3 per kg to RM9 per kg, a hike of 200 per cent, broccoli from RM8 per kg to RM20 per kg, an increase of 150 per cent and cauliflower from RM7 per kg to RM16 per kg, a rise of 100 per cent.
Others include beans (kacang buncis) from RM8 per kg to RM15 per kg (88 per cent increase), sawi from RM5 per kg to RM8 per kg (60 per cent increase), cabbage from RM4 per kg to RM6 per kg (50 per cent increase), red chili from RM13 per kg to RM19 per kg (46 per cent increase) and green chili from RM10 per kg to RM14 per kg (40 per cent increase).
Mohideen said CAP had repeatedly called for Fama to take control of the marketing and distribution of vegetables in the country.
"Unfortunately, our calls have fallen on deaf ears," he added.