Experts issue urgent warning as food prices skyrocket following disaster: 'Highest surge'

Food prices in Malaysia are soaring after this year's monsoon season wiped out a number of crops.

What's happening?

A relentless monsoon season has created havoc in Malaysia, as heavy rains destroyed numerous crops, flooded transport routes, and put immense strain on supply chains. 

The result, according to the Vibes, is increasing prices for common vegetables. In many cases, prices have more than doubled, and in some cases, even tripled, leaving consumers struggling. 

Spinach has gone from around RM3 ($0.73) to RM9 ($2.20) per kilogram, while mustard greens have increased from RM2.50 ($0.61) to RM7 ($1.71). 

As the chairman of the Cameron Highlands Vegetable Growers Association, Chai Kok Lim, explained to the Vibes, "This is the highest surge in vegetable prices we've seen so far during the northeast monsoon."

Restaurants are among the hardest hit, as they are trying their best not to pass along these increases to customers. To do so, many are turning to cheaper vegetables to fill out their meals. 

Meanwhile, farmers and traders warn that price increases and food shortages that threaten food security could persist into the next year.

Why are these price increases concerning?

Farmers across the globe are suffering from declining crop yields due to heavy rains, droughts, and more. Growers in India saw a 70% drop in crop yields due to Cyclone Montha, while wild blueberry and apple farmers in Maine reported significant crop losses because of severe drought.

As extreme weather events continue and global temperatures rise due to the use of energy sources like oil and coal, crop losses worldwide will also increase. As evidenced by the plight of Malaysian farmers and consumers, fewer crops mean less food in markets, leading to food insecurity. 

Fewer crops also mean that prices for what food is still available will rise, as in this case. As grocery prices have already gone up quite a bit over the past year, an increase due to food shortages will see people needing to tighten their purse strings even more, and some may go hungry. 

What is the biggest reason you don't grow food at home? Not enough time ⏳ Not enough space 🤏 It seems too hard 😬 I have a garden already 😎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Additionally, as farmers continue to lose crops to extreme weather, they'll bring in less income. This could cause farms to shut down as they become financially unsustainable to run, and lead to a lack of agricultural jobs. 

How can crops be better protected?

When it comes to Malaysia, the chief operating officer of the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations, Nur Asyikin Aminuddin, said to the Vibes, "Malaysia must invest in post-harvest systems, modern food logistics and strengthen Fama as the intermediary between producers and consumers to stabilise fresh food prices."

Current and emerging technological advances — such as SonicBoom, a sensing technology designed to aid agricultural robots, and Aquawise, which monitors water quality on farms — will also help farmers.

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.