Large Prawns Among 16 Food Items In Cny Price Control List Effective Feb 8

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PUTRAJAYA: The maximum price scheme for food items for Chinese New Year will involve 16 produce and will take effect on Feb 8.
The items include chicken, eggs, round cabbage, red chillies, tomatoes, potatoes and garlic.
Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said the maximum price scheme will be for nine days until Feb 16.
“Although the celebration will be low key and will have to be according to standard operating procedure, we foresee the demand for certain goods will still go up, compared to during the non-festive season.
‘Which is why the maximum price scheme will be enforced, ” he said at an online press conference on Friday (Feb 5).
Other items on the list are white pomfret, large prawns, pork belly, and pork (meat and fat).
The ceiling price of “live” chicken per kg is set at RM5.60 (wholesale) and 6.20 (retail); standard chicken per kg at RM6.60 (wholesale) and RM7.40 (retail), super chicken per kg at RM7.40 (wholesale) and RM8.30 (retail).
Maximum retail price for eggs will be RM0.37 for Grade A, RM0.36 for Grade B and RM0.35 for Grade C, while retail price for imported round cabbage is RM3.50 per kg.
Ceiling price for red chillies is set at RM15 per kg, tomatoes (RM6.50 per kg), imported potatoes (RM3 per kg) and garlic (RM8 per kg).
For seafood, white pomfret is fixed at RM42 per kg and maximum price for large prawns is RM39 per kg.
For poultry, the ceiling retail price for pork belly is set at RM23 per kg, pork (meat and fat) is RM16 per kg and live pig (controlled at farm) is RM8 per kg.
Nanta said the maximum price for manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers were fixed according to the current price trend of the goods, as well as prices during festivities.
He said price monitoring was carried out and views from government agencies and industry players, including importers, suppliers and wholesalers were considered before ceiling prices of these goods were determined.
He warned traders against selling the goods listed in the scheme at prices above the ceiling rate that the government has determined, adding that offenders who are found guilty by the court could face up to RM100,000 in fine and jail up to three years.
Culprits can also be issued with compounds of up to RM50,000.
The minister also reminded traders to display these goods with a pink price tag, failing which a trader can compounded for up to RM5,000.
“While monitoring and enforcement will be beefed up, we hope that consumers will play their part by alerting the authorities on indiscriminate price hike through our various platforms so that our officers can act quickly, ” he said. - Star

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