Prices of onion, garlic in Malaysia rose by over 30pc in June compared to last year

KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — The average prices of onion and garlic in Malaysia has increased by more than 30 per cent in June 2020, when compared against price levels in the same month last year, official statistics from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) today showed.

In a video presentation on its official Facebook page, DOSM showed that the average price per kg in Malaysia for big onions rose from RM3.31 in June 2019 to RM4.58 in June 2020, while the average price per kg for small onions went up from RM5.58 in June 2019 to RM8.32 in June 2020.

Similarly, the average price per kg for garlic in Malaysia has increased from RM7.49 in June 2019 to RM10.27 in June 2020.

The most expensive state to buy onions in June 2020

But different states in Malaysia may have different price levels for the same items.

In a separate list provided by DOSM on its website of the average price for selected items nationwide in June 2020, the average price per kg of onions for June 2020 was at RM4.58 in Malaysia as a whole.

But when examined according to states in this list, the most expensive average price per kg for onions was RM7.17 in Sabah, which is about 56.55 per cent more expensive than the national level of RM4.58.

Also exceeding the national level of prices of onions were RM5.50 (Labuan), RM5.42 (Sarawak), RM4.98 (Terengganu), RM4.69 (Johor, Pahang).

The rest of the states showed lower than average prices at RM4.49 (Negri Sembilan), RM4.22 (Perak), RM4.19 (Kuala Lumpur), RM4.08 (Kelantan), RM3.96 (Perlis), RM3.76 (Selangor), RM3.60 (Kedah).

The three states or territories where it was cheapest to buy onions in June 2020 even saw price levels fall below the national average of RM3.31 in June 2019, namely RM3.23 (Melaka), RM3.08 (Putrajaya) and RM3.07 (Penang).

The June 2020 list — which covers 100 selected food and non-food items — did not include price comparisons for garlic and shallots in the different states in Malaysia.

In the same video presentation, DOSM also highlighted the increase of less than five per cent in the average prices per kg of several food items in June 2020 versus June 2019, including Indian mackerel that rose from RM13.80 to RM14.22, round scad fish (RM9.47 to RM9.68) and local beef (RM32.10 to RM32.37).

The rise in food prices such as garlic and chicken was among several factors that DOSM cited for the lower deflation of -1.9 per cent shown in the Consumer Price Index for June 2020 as compared to the -2.9 per cent recorded in May 2020, apart from an increase in fuel prices in June.