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By Mihar Dias (C) Copyright February 2023
Mat Sabu, price of vegetables were high in February. What should we do?
Vegetables prices hit the ceiling in February. The Star published the wholesale prices of 13 types of vegetables from Kuala Lumpur wet market.
French beans were RM7.50 per kilo in January but rose to RM14.50 in February 2023. Incredible.
According to The Star, the retail price of tomatoes on 6 February is now at a historic high of RM12 per kg while at the wholesale level, it is RM10 per kg.
The Star quoted Kuala Lumpur Vegetable Wholesalers’ Association president Wong Keng Fatt as saying wet weather had driven up the price of several vegetables by between 70% and 80%.
According to him, the previous high for tomatoes was RM9.50 per kg – which also took place during the same monsoon period in 2020. That was three years ago and it has happened again this February 2023.
Is that something we should worry about Dato Seri?
The Star says "Farmers have assured consumers that the high retail prices of vegetables, due to a poor harvest from heavy rains, are only temporary and will stabilise after the wet season."
Weather condition is beyond human control, we know that. Neither does the government has any say as to what the weather may bring tomorrow.
But if our government has any sense, they would have put some contingency plans into place.
The farmers are aware that prices of vegetables do hit the ceiling during monsoons. But they cannot do much to help to produce me because they too are unable to control the weather.
So, how do we help customers plan for this phonemon that takes place every so often during wet seasons.
I have no fantastic idea to offer government agencies or our Minister of Agriculture overcome this problem. I am a consumer just like everyone else reading this column.
I believe Mat Sabu already has his hands full on the issue of the price of eggs in the country. To ask him to handle the price of vegetables might just overload his mental capacity.
At the risk of being accused of being facetious or treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humour or being flippant, I asked ChatGPT.
The fabulous AI is ever ready to give a helping hand with the right kind of advice useful for everyone including the Minister of Agriculture.
So, I asked ChatGPT, "What contigency plans can be put into place to overcome seasonal vegetable prices increases during bad weather ?"
In a second, ChatGPT answers: "One possible contingency that can be put into place to overcome seasonal vegetable price increases during bad weather is to establish a food reserve system that can be used to stabilize prices during times of scarcity. This can involve:
• Building a stockpile: Establishing a strategic food reserve by purchasing excess produce during the peak season and storing it for use during periods of shortage. This could be done at the national, state or local level depending on the scale of the problem.
• Price regulation: Enforcing price regulation on the market, ensuring that prices remain stable and within reach for the average consumer.
• Diversifying crop production: Encouraging farmers to diversify their crops by growing crops that are more resistant to harsh weather conditions or investing in irrigation systems to mitigate the impact of drought.
• Supporting small farmers: Providing support to small farmers to help them weather the impact of bad weather, such as crop insurance or access to credit.
• Encouraging imports: Allowing the importation of vegetables from neighboring countries or regions with a surplus to help alleviate the shortage.
• Public education: Educating the public on the importance of buying and consuming locally produced, seasonal vegetables and creating awareness about the impact of climate change on food production.
By implementing a combination of these measures, it may be possible to mitigate the impact of seasonal vegetable price increases during periods of bad weather."
Perhaps the above may be put into practice during the next monsoon in 2024.
I am sure by then ChatGPT would be even more advanced to help our Minister of Agriculture and the government of the day and the supporting bureaucrats to develop systems to mitigate price fluctuations or reduce the impact of ceiling high prices of vegetables in times of bad weather more effectively.
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