Cameron Highland’s RM1 million flower industry wilting under MCO

Flower sales in Cameron Highlands have been dropping due to the movement control order to curb the spread of Covid-19.

PETALING JAYA: On a good day, flower growers in Cameron Highlands used to sell up to RM1 million worth of blossoms – but not anymore.

Once the movement control order (MCO) kicked in on March 18, they say, sales quickly dropped to zero.

And the flowers went to waste.

Cameron Highlands Floriculturists Association president Lee Peng Ho said farmers had in the past week been able to recapture about 20% of their normal sales.

But he said this was because of religious and cultural festivities such as Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Songkran and the Tamil new year.

During this time, they were also able to export flowers such as carnations and chrysanthemums to Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong.

“There could be some demand again in May as the Buddhists will be celebrating Wesak Day,” Lee told FMT.

But in general, he doubts they will be able to maintain even 20% of their regular sales as the MCO has been further extended to April 28.

Because of this, many small traders who used to sell flowers from shops or roadside stalls can no longer do so.

According to Lee, about 150 farms on the highlands produce between 80 and 100 tonnes of flowers a day, worth anything from RM600,000 to RM1 million.

During normal times, flowers are also exported to Australia, China, Taiwan and the Middle East.

About 5,000 workers, mostly from Bangladesh, Indonesia and Myanmar, work on these farms.

“They are still needed to upkeep the farms and harvest the flowers, most of which have to be discarded as the orders have declined drastically,” Lee said.

While the days ahead look bleak, he said the association has met with district agriculture department officials to discuss the situation as well as farmers’ financial losses.

“They have promised to refer the matter to ministry officials to help farmers remain in business,” he added. - FMT