KUANTAN, Dec 3 (Bernama) — Pahang is facing a shortage of coconut fruit since last August and that efforts to remedy the problem were being addressed urgently by the state government, the state assembly was told today.
Pahang Consumer Affairs and Human Resources Committee chairman Sim Chon Siang said due to the shortage of supply, the Federal Government had to import coconut from Indonesia and as a result, there was a slight increase in prices in the domestic market.
"(The price) of a coconut has now increased to RM3.50 per coconut because it has to be imported from Indonesia. We in Malaysia do not have enough supply as well as Thailand and have to import from Indonesia.
"That's why, in the last four months, we have (forced) to increase (the price) of concentrated coconut milk by RM16 because, to (get) a box of concentrated coconut milk, it may require four coconuts and the cost is already RM14. Because of that, there is an increase in prices," said the Teruntum State Assemblyman.
He said this in response to Zuridan Mohd Daud (PAS-DAMAK) who highlighted the issue while debating the Pahang Budget 2024 at Wisma Sri Pahang here today.
Zuridan had earlier said he received complaints about the increase in the price of coconuts and coconut milk from entrepreneurs, believed to have been manipulated by cartels to cause an increase in the price of a coconut and concentrated coconut milk.
— BERNAMA
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