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Wet goods costlier in Kedah due to Thai floods

Posted: 09 Nov 2011 09:52 PM PST

ALOR SETAR: Prices of wet goods such as vegetables and fish rose considerably in Kedah last week as a result of the flood in Thailand.

Kedah Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism (KPDNKK) director, Mohd Sakri Saleh said wholesalers had raised their prices forcing retailers to pass on the increase to consumers.

"Prices of items such as red chilli and mustard (sawi) had risen sharply last Saturday on Hari Raya Aidiladha eve. Studies by KPDNKK found the increase started at the wholesaler level.

"About 20 per cent of the supply brought in from Thailand were spoilt because the vegetables have been stranded in the stores affected by flood in Thailand and wholesalers make up for their losses by increasing their prices," he told reporters after a meeting of the Association of Action on Prices of Goods with the Agricultural Department, Fisheries Development Authority, Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority, National Padi and Rice Authority, Veterinary Department and Malaysian Palm Oil Board here yesterday.

According to Mohd Sakri, Malaysia imported 70 per cent of its fresh vegetables from Thailand. However, prices of fish have not risen significantly as only 10 per cent of the import comes from Thailand.

He said prices of vegetables were expected to return to normal level in two weeks as Fama had given its assurance of importing chili and vegetables from China to meet the demand.

On actions against errant traders for raising prices, Mohd Sakri said KPDNKK felt the price hike had not been extreme even though they could face action under the Price Control and Anti-profiteering Act 2011. -- BERNAMA

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More than 40 trapped in China coal mine

Posted: 09 Nov 2011 08:13 PM PST

BEIJING: An accident at a coal mine in China trapped more than 40 people underground on Thursday, state media and officials said, the latest in a string of incidents to hit the country's vast mining industry.

Rescuers were at the scene of the accident, which occurred early Thursday morning in the southwestern province of Yunnan, the official Xinhua news agency said.

A local government statement said the miners were trapped by a "gas explosion," but this could not be confirmed, and Xinhua said emergency workers referred only to a "gas leak".

The accident comes days after a blast in a coal mine in the central province of Henan trapped dozens of workers underground, most of whom were eventually pulled out after a 40-hour rescue operation, but 10 were killed.

Coal mine accidents are common in China, where work safety is often neglected by bosses seeking a quick profit.

Last year, 2,433 people died in coal mining accidents in the country, according to official statistics — a rate of more than six workers per day.

Campaigners suggest the true figure is likely to be far higher.

Last month, a gas explosion at a state-owned coal mine in the central province of Hunan left 29 miners dead.

Earlier in October, blasts at mines in the southwestern city of Chongqing and the northern province of Shaanxi killed 13 and 11 miners respectively.

China's rapid economic growth has caused demand for energy, including coal, to surge.

The Asian nation is the world's leading consumer of coal, relying on it for 70 percent of its growing energy needs.

Over the past eight years it has on average built one coal-fired power station a week. And with the arrival of winter, mines are operating at full capacity.
- AFP

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Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Rabu, 9 November 2011

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