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Cameron Highlands produce can be transported to other states, Singapore during enhanced MCO: Wee Ka Siong

Cameron Highlands produce can be transported to other states, Singapore during enhanced MCO: Wee Ka Siong

A favourite vegetable among consumers in Malaysia and Singapore, bok choy is planted in cramped rows under plastic tarps to maximise production and ensure standard uniformity. (Photo: Jules Rahman Ong)

PUTRAJAYA: Agricultural produce from areas placed under enhanced movement control order (EMCO) in Cameron Highlands can still be transported across Malaysia and to Singapore, said Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong on Wednesday (Jun 16).

"The Cabinet has decided to give green light to (the transport of) agricultural products from Cameron Highlands. There will be no problem sending these vegetables to other places in the country and even Singapore," he told reporters after the Cabinet meeting, according to Sin Chew Daily.

The minister said the Cabinet agreed that workers in EMCO areas can continue to tend to their produce and also transport the crops to ensure supply.  

"According to our guidelines, essential services should not be stopped and we reaffirm that agricultural activities, even in EMCO areas, must be allowed," he was quoted as saying by the Star.

"This is because the supply of vegetables is essential, and if lorries and trucks are not allowed in or if workers cannot enter their farms, we will face problems getting the supply of vegetables," he added.

Five areas in Cameron Highlands, namely Sungai Ikan, Blue Valley, Taman Matahari Cerah, Taman Desa Corina and Kampung Baru Kampung Raja, were placed under EMCO from Jun 14 to Jun 27 following the detection of 29 COVID-19 cases within a period of two weeks. 

While Malaysia is currently under a total lockdown, localities with a surge in cases are placed under even tighter restrictions known as EMCO to curb the spread of the coronavirus. 

According to statistics from the Singapore Food Agency, Malaysia is Singapore’s top source of vegetables, supplying 69 per cent of the imported leafy vegetables. 

READ: ‘Very hard to earn money’ - Higher land lease hit Cameron Highlands farmers, vegetable prices could rise

Malaysian media reported that since Monday, the prices of some vegetables, including tomatoes, Japanese cucumbers, chillies, cabbage, beans, bell peppers and all types of salad leaves, have increased between 30 and 40 per cent.

The increase was due to production stoppages following the implementation of EMCO in Cameron Highlands.

Some 12,000 foreign and local workers in the highlands were not allowed to leave home for work under the EMCO, according to the reports.

The Federation of Malaysian Vegetable Growers Associations had earlier warned that vegetable supply would be affected as Cameron Highlands produces about 565 metric tonnes of vegetables daily.

IMMEDIATE MEASURES TO ADDRESS PRICE HIKE 

On Wednesday, Deputy Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Che Abdullah Mat Nawi said that several immediate measures were being taken to address the 40 per cent increase in the price of vegetables, believed to be due to the implementation of tighter movement control in Cameron Highlands.

He said his ministry, together with agencies such as the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority, would like to assure that any issue affecting the supply of produce from producers to consumers would be resolved.

“We have received information, and are currently studying them so that solutions can be applied. Surely, there will be problems cropping up during the ongoing movement control order (MCO), “ he said, as quoted by Bernama.

Mr Che Abdullah said that the agriculture sector was categorised as an essential service and it had to run as usual, but it was possible that the process would be different due to the implementation of the MCO, EMCO or other restrictions.

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Source: CNA/tx/ih

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