Price Of Vegetables Rising After Ban, Heavy Rain
By Azlan Othman

Bandar Seri Begawan - The current rainy season has increased the price of vegetables and outpaced the effects following a ban imposed by Brunei on vegetables from Sarawak, due to there allegedly having too many pesticides.

A survey at the Gadong market yesterday indicated that the price of vegetables increased up to three times its original, following a wet spell in the recent weeks.

Hjh Brunei Hj Chuchu, who has been operating her stall since the establishment's early days, said that the price of three kilos of lettuce is now $7 to $8 instead of $2 to $3.

The same level of increase also applies to other products, like cucumbers, eggplants and red challis. This view was also shared by another Chinese vendor from Belait.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Star newspaper reported yesterday that a ban imposed by Brunei on vegetables from Sarawak has badly affected the income of its farmers and tarnished the image of the state's agriculture sector.

Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam said the state government was "very upset" over the move and would conduct a thorough investigation to see if it was warranted. "The ban was imposed supposedly because our vegetables contained too many pesticides. However, as far as I know, Sarawak has already drastically reduced the use of pesticides and chemicals in most of our farms," he said when contacted yesterday.

Dr Chan is also the State Agriculture Modernisation Minister and State Industrial Development Minister.

Brunei imposed a ban three weeks ago on commercially grown vegetables from Malaysia, the bulk of which comes from Sarawak, claiming that the vegetables contained a dangerously high amount of pesticides.

Dr Chan added Sarawak was also exporting vegetables to other countries like Japan and Hong Kong. "So it is obvious the quality of our vegetables is in tune with international health standards. It cannot be that our standard is so different from Brunei," he stated. It is not the first time that Brunei has taken such an action. Two years ago, a similar ban was also imposed, which lasted many months before it was lifted. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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