SHOCK HIKE: Prices of ingredients up by 160% - survey

GEORGE TOWN- Prices of ingre­dients used in Indian cuisine have gone up by as much as 160% from last year, according to a survey by the Penang Hindu Association (PHA).

The price of black beans saw the steepest hike, from RM4.80 per kilo in December last year to RM12.50 this month.Yellow lentils (dhal) is up 120% from RM5.80 per kilo to RM12.80 per kilo, while cashew nuts have gone from RM28 to RM48 per kilo.

With the exception of yellow lentils from Australia, none of the ingredients surveyed by PHA are under the 2015 Deepavali price control scheme of the Domestic Trade, Consumerism and Co-operatives Minis­try.

Its deputy president P. Murugiah said in a statement yesterday that it had compiled a list of 17 food items whose cost had gone up.

“We went to numerous grocery shops in Bandar Baru Air Itam, Air Itam, Paya Terubong, George Town and Butterworth. The price increa­ses in our list are the average fi­gures,” he said.

The smallest price rise in the list is chilli powder, which registered a 20 sen increase from RM4.40 per kilo.Murugiah said PHA had e-mailed its findings to the ministry in the hope that authorities could look into the possibility of profiteering activities.

Implemented since 2000 using the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act, the festive season price control scheme sets the maximum prices for particular goods according to areas and districts.

This year, 18 items, including eggs, lamb, poultry, tomatoes, red chilli, coconut, onions from India, potatoes from China and lentils from Aus­­tralia, are on the list for Deepavali.The ministry’s deputy minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanifah was in George Town’s Little India yesterday to meet traders.

“So far, we have not found anyone going against the festive controlled pricing scheme,” he said.Retailers must use pink price tags for these goods and face a fine of up to RM10,000 or compounds of up to RM5,000 for failing to do so.

Asked about traders passing off other meats as mutton, he said no one had lodged complaints so far.“It is easy to differentiate mutton from other types of meat but if it is actually happening and we are shown proof, we will definitely take action,” he said.-TheStar