Farmers to blame for high price of fruits?
> They’re dearer due to produce being exported, causing shortage, say retailers
KUALA LUMPUR: Are local fruit farmers to blame for the recent hike in prices? asked Nanyang Siang Pau in a report.
The Chinese daily reported yesterday that fruit growers are focusing on exporting top-grade produce, to the point of neglecting the domestic market demand.
This has resulted in a supply shortage which in turn is causing the prices of fruits to go up such as the durians, according to the report.
Fruits retailers in the Klang Valley and Seremban told the daily that orchard owners and wholesalers are going all out to ship their produce overseas for maximum profits.
They lamented that the growers and wholesalers have neglected the huge demand of the local market.
Orchard owners, however, said they are not entirely to blame for the situation. They said in business it is only natural that the highest bidder gets the goods, but as long as local dealers (bulk purchasers) are willing to offer a good price, they are willing to supply the local market with topgrade fruits.
They said exporting their fruits is also to expand their market to avoid being exploited by dealers or middlemen.
The claims that only second-grade fruits are left for Malaysians are not true, they said.
Nevertheless, fruit retailers in general are convinced that both orchard owners and wholesalers are exporting their top-quality fruits which they claimed is causing a supply shortage of 30%.
The report said some Malaysian fruits have become very popular in China in recent years.
During his trip to China earlier this year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak witnessed the signing of several deals which will see Malaysia supplying some US$1.53 billion (RM6.6 billion) of bananas and other tropical fruits to the world’s most populous nation.
Malaysia and China are expected to sign more agreements on fruit supply to China, including allowing pineapple growers to sell the fruit direct to China.
Malaysian fruits are also exported to Singapore, some Asian countries and Europe.