KUANTAN, April 1 (Bernama) -- The Pahang state government will set up a vegetable wholesale hub in Cameron Highlands to reduce farmers’ reliance on middlemen believed to be controlling market prices.
State Consumer Affairs and Human Resources Committee chairman Sim Chon Siang said the move follows complaints from farmers receiving as little as 20 sen per kilogramme for some produce.
“Previously, they could earn more than RM1 for about 15 types of vegetables, but now only two types fetch that price. Pricing is determined by wholesalers in Selayang,” he told reporters at the Sultan Ahmad Shah Administrative Centre here today.
He said the situation could affect the agricultural sector and threaten farmers’ livelihoods if it persists.
Sim said the hub would enable farmers to market their produce directly, adding that the Cameron Highlands district officer has been tasked with identifying a suitable site.
He also said the gap between farm and retail prices appears disproportionate, citing tomatoes that sell for low prices at farm level but reach about RM6.50 per kilogramme at retail, suggesting multiple layers of intermediaries.
On traffic congestion in Kea Farm, he said personnel may be deployed to manage pedestrian movement and coordinate crossings from 8 am to 7 pm daily.
He added that a pedestrian bridge equipped with facilities such as escalators has been proposed as a long-term solution to ease congestion and improve safety.
-- BERNAMA
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