‘Everything remains under control’: Penang’s essential goods supply stable with no sharp price increases, says CM

GEORGE TOWN, May 21 — The supply of essential goods in Penang is stable with no significant hike in prices, according to chief minister Chow Kon Yeow.

He said there are no shortages in essential goods and that price‑controlled items are also being sold below the ceiling price.

“The 27 price-controlled items are in sufficient supply and are being sold below the controlled price,” he said in a press conference after visiting a local fruits and vegetables campaign at Komtar today.

He added that at each state exco meeting, they will receive the latest reports on the market conditions.

“Based on the reports received, there has been no significant increase in prices. Everything remains under control,” he said.

He said the state wants to ensure that the people are not burdened by excessive price increases.

He added that the state will also enhance efforts to expand participation in the Jualan Rahmah programme together with vegetable supply initiatives, which is a good step forward.

“This is so that a balanced supply chain can be created, which benefits producers, livestock farmers, and consumers alike,” he added.

He said the Jualan Rahmah programme has received good public response, so if vegetables are added, it will further benefit consumers while helping farmers secure another market.

Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow (3rd left) and state excos Datuk Rashidi Zinol (2nd left) and Goh Choon Aik (2nd right) at the local fruits and vegetables campaign in Komtar. — Picture by Opalyn Mok

Meanwhile, Rural Development, Agrotechnology, Food Security and Entrepreneurship Committee chairman Datuk Rashidi Zinol said the state is trying to restructure the role of middlemen in the agrotechnology supply chain.

He said they are not eliminating middlemen from the vegetable distribution system.

“We cannot fully remove middlemen. But we need to create one middleman for our side. Then we form entrepreneurs for marketing,” he said.

He said the current structure, if involving multiple layers, could push prices higher and place pressure on farmers, especially given rising input costs.

“If they take from the farm at RM2, they may sell at RM3.50 or RM4. If there are three layers, prices will rise too much and farmers will be pressured. So we create only one layer for marketing,” he said.

The initiative is part of a wider campaign to promote consumption of locally produced vegetables and fruits, which are grown under the supervision of the Agriculture Department with controlled pesticide and fertiliser use.

The campaign also aims to support local farmers who have been affected by fluctuating prices.

He said vegetable prices at the farm level had previously fallen to between RM1.20 and RM1.50, before rising to around RM2.50 to RM3.

At the same time, retail prices in the market were reported to range between RM4 and RM4.50.

“We are working with the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) to purchase produce directly from farms and distribute it through initiatives such as the Jualan Rahmah programme, which will now include vegetables,” he said.

He said most locally grown vegetables are currently sourced from the AgroKuda Taman Kekal Pengeluaran Makanan (TKPM) site, which spans about 600 acres and involves 94 farmers.

He said TKPM produces about three metric tonnes of vegetables daily across 10 types of crops.