Cameron Highlands, Malaysia – The oversupply of vegetables in Cameron Highlands and Plains has resulted in a significant drop in wholesale prices of vegetables, causing farmers to discard a large amount of vegetables. According to reports, the wholesale prices of vegetables in Cameron Highlands have plummeted by 70 to 80 percent due to oversupply, resulting in farmers earning no profit.
The hot weather has led to a good harvest of vegetables, but the slow market during Ramadan caused the supply to exceed demand, resulting in the price of vegetables dropping significantly. Since March, farmers have started to discard the excess leafy vegetables, and recently, even eggplants and green vegetables are also being discarded in large quantities.
The situation has caused concern among the public, with many taking to social media to express their dismay. Netizens have been sharing pictures of eggplants, cucumbers, and long beans that have been left aside and piled up in mountains. They lament that farmers cannot determine prices, and vegetables cannot be sold at a good price.
The Chairman of the Cameron Vegetable Farmers Association, Cai Guolin, disclosed that Cameron began losing vegetables as early as March. He stated that while there was plenty of sunshine, the market slowed down during Ramadan, causing almost all vegetables, except for tomatoes, to plummet by 70 to 80 percent.
Mr. Cai disclosed that before January, the price of tomatoes dropped from RM5 to RM6 per kilogram to RM3, but it was still profitable. However, the price has now dropped to less than RM1 per kg. He further revealed that two weeks ago, the prices of Japanese cucumbers and eggplants in Cameron also dropped, resulting in a loss of melons and eggplants.
It is not yet clear what prices will be passed on to consumers, and whether they will also eat cheaper vegetables due to the oversupply. Farmers are urging the public to support them by purchasing their products, even if it means paying slightly higher prices. The situation has highlighted the need for better regulation of vegetable production to prevent oversupply and waste.
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