KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 — Vegetable prices are projected to triple in November and December due to the impending Northeast Monsoon, which poses a risk of heavy rainfall and flooding across various regions in the country.

Chairman of the Cameron Highlands Malay Farmers Association, Datuk Syed Abd Rahman Syed Abd Rashid, told national daily Berita Harian that farm-level vegetable prices have surged by 20 to 50 per cent over the past week.

He gave the example of tomatoes whose cost has risen from RM1.50 per kilogram to RM2.30 per kilogram.

"Other vegetables experiencing price hikes include spring onions, kailan, mustard greens, choi sum, cucumbers, eggplants, and green beans.

"We anticipate that the prices of leafy vegetables will continue to climb, becoming significantly more expensive in November and December,” he was quoted as saying today.

Syed Abd Rahman added that the current weather conditions have accelerated the spread of fungal diseases, adversely affecting vegetable yields.

He said that leafy vegetables cultivated without protected housing (SPH) have also suffered damage, exacerbated by the heavy rainfall.

"As a result, pesticide use is a key preparation for the upcoming monsoon season.

"Farmers typically resort to pesticides during this period to mitigate potential damage to their crops,” he was quoted as saying.