No more dumping of veggies and fish, but demand still slow

CORONAVIRUS | The problems in the supply chain for vegetable and fish have gradually improved due to clarity from the government, three weeks into the movement control order (MCO) period.

Groups representing farmers and fishermen told Malaysiakini they no longer receive reports that their members were forced to throw away their produce because they can't transport it to markets.

Farmers and vegetable sellers told Malaysiakini the situation was no longer as chaotic as the early stages of the MCO.

Initially, a major problem was the government's decision to limit the number of foreign workers in wholesale markets. These sellers did not have the workers needed to offload goods from transport vehicles.

According to Kuala Lumpur Vegetable Wholesalers' Association president, Wong Keng Fatt, the situation at the Kuala Lumpur wholesale market in Batu Caves was improving.

He said the number of people and the number of transport vehicles entering the market are now strictly monitored by police and armed forces personnel.

"No more dumping vegetables, the situation is much better now.

"The police and army are strict, restricting the movement of people and the number of lorries. So, there is a limit of how much vegetables could be transported in a day," he told Malaysiakini.

Moreover, Kuala Lumpur City Hall has revised its two staff limit for each stall owner to three.

However, due to two Covid-19 cases among market staff, Wong said about 30 stalls remain closed until April 18 as the owners and workers were under quarantine and are awaiting test results.

"Other than these 30 stalls, about 60 percent of the vegetable stalls are operating as usual," Wong said.

Farmers cutting output

Cameron Highlands farmer, Ng Tien Khuan, said the directives from the authorities are much clearer after their plight was highlighted by the media.

He also said his orders are beginning to increase again, mainly from supermarkets.

However, farmers in Chemor, Perak, are more concerned about waning sales.

According to Chemor Farmers Association head, Tan Thean Chee, the farmers are struggling with the low prices of vegetables because many sales channels have closed due to the MCO.

"The weather is good and our harvest is great. However, there are only a few ways to sell our crops now.

"The crowds in the markets have reduced and this adversely affects vegetable prices," he added.

Tan said he stopped growing crops since the MCO started to prevent further losses as the fertilisers and pesticides cost more than RM1,000 for every acre of farmland.

Staffing problems

Meanwhile, Malaysia Fish Industries General Association president Chia Tian Hee said the plight of the fishermen has improved as almost all fishing boats have been allowed to operate.

However, due to manpower limitations in processing factories, the production of processed food and fishmeal has reduced significantly and this resulted in lower revenues for factories.

He predicted that the price of fish may increase in the coming weeks as some fishermen chose to cease operations for now.

Lee Chu Soi, the chairperson of Hutan Melintang Seafood Products Association in Perak, told Malaysiakini there have been no cases of fish dumping in the area.

He pointed out that Hutan Melintang is the biggest fisheries area in the country as it provides 37 percent of catches for the market.

However, fishermen in Pantai Remis and Pangkor Island may face some problems as their Thai workers have returned home when the MCO was implemented.

"About 20 to 30 percent of boats are moored as they do not have enough workers. But in Hutan Melintang, we are not affected as our workers are mostly from Myanmar," Lee added.

Previously, Malaysiakini reported that the implementation of the MCO, which mandated the closure of some wholesale markets and discouraged logistics providers, had disrupted the supply chain for the vegetable and fishery industries.

Following this, Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob gave his assurances that wet markets were allowed to operate and the supply chain would not be affected by the MCO.

Meanwhile, the Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority (Fama) will be opening 77 farmers' markets (pasar tani) nationwide. These markets will comply with the need for social distancing amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. - Mkini