BUKIT MERTAJAM: Vegetable prices are expected to stabilise in the next one to two months following various efforts by the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) together with the Agriculture and Food Industries Ministry.

       Fama chairman Datuk Mohd Fasiah Mohd Fakeh said the increase in vegetable prices was due to several factors such as transportation problems in producing countries as well as floods and unpredictable weather in cultivation areas, which caused supply shortages.

       "Right now we (Fama and the ministry) are making various efforts to stabilise prices and in one to two months, it is likely that it will continue to go down," he told reporters after visiting the Bukit Mertajam Fama Distribution Complex here on Monday (Jan 10).

       Meanwhile, Mohd Fasiah said Fama, through its subsidiary Fama Corporation Sdn Bhd, is expected to expand its business activities by exploring more challenging areas this year to help more entrepreneurs.

       This includes making full use of the spaces available in distribution complexes or operations centres, including in Bukit Mertajam, by creating cold room facilities and a retort packaging technology centre with an allocation of RM1.5mil.

       "The facilities can help local entrepreneurs get access to the export market as well as improve the quality of packaging and processing," he said. – Bernama