Deputy minister Che Abdullah Mat Nawi said the ministry, together with the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama), will resolve the matter, from producers to consumers.

“We are currently studying the information we have so that we can apply the correct solutions. Surely there will be problems cropping up during the ongoing MCO.

“Mafi and Fama will take the necessary action. We also provide an operations room, involving several officers, to ensure that problems encountered along the chain from producers to consumers will be resolved,” he told reporters at the Teluk Kumbar fishermen’s market today.

Earlier, he conducted a check of food supply activities and fish marketing chains at the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia in Batu Maung, and fishing areas in Teluk Kumbar.

Che Abdullah said the agriculture sector was categorised as an essential service and had to run as usual, but it was possible that the process would be different due to the implementation of the MCO and EMCO.

“The process may take a bit of time due to the SOPs. The government also has to tighten the SOPs because it does not want others to take advantage by using the agricultural sector for other purposes.

“This situation is difficult, but in terms of operations, the agricultural sector is allowed to operate,” he said.

Since Monday, the price of vegetables such as tomatoes, Japanese cucumbers, chillies, cabbage, beans, bell peppers and various types of salad leaves increased between 30% and 40% as production had to be stopped immediately following the EMCO in Cameron Highlands.

The media reported that the main cause was that 12,000 foreign and local workers in the highlands were not allowed to leave home for work under the EMCO.