Still no SOPs for agriculture, livestock and fisheries sectors, says DAP Youth

 

Farms in Cameron Highlands cannot abide by the 8am-8pm rule as crops are fresh food and need to be picked at the appropriate time.

PETALING JAYA: The agriculture and food industries ministry must immediately list its SOPs for the agriculture, livestock and fisheries sectors to avoid further confusion during the total lockdown, says DAP Youth.

Its deputy chairman Chiong Yoke Kong said the ministry’s portal only displayed the National Security Council’s (MKN) general rules for the movement control order (MCO), which did not include specific guidelines for the sectors.

He said the lack of clarity on the sectors’ operations would only cause confusion among stakeholders and enforcement authorities, who have nothing to refer to.

An example of this, he said, were farms in Cameron Highlands operating from 8am to 8pm based on MKN’s general list of SOPs.

“This does not fit the norms of the agricultural sector, especially for vegetable crops because they are fresh food and need to be picked at appropriate times to maintain their freshness,” Chiong said.

He added that the packing and shipping process of the vegetables would also be affected, as the products would normally be delivered past midnight to reach markets early in the morning.

“If the government does not allow flexible operating hours for the collection, packaging and delivery of vegetables, how can we ensure fresh vegetables are supplied throughout the country?” he asked. - FMT