The food supply chain in the country is at risk of collapsing if the International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) does not swiftly approve the latest travel permission applications from small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) by today.
SME Association of Malaysia president Datuk Michael Kang said members in the food sector were facing problems at the roadblocks mounted by the authorities to curb travel movements following the implementation of the Movement Control Order 3.0.
Feedback from the members, Kang said, showed there were complications even when they produced the previous travel permission letter issued by Miti. This letter will not be valid effective tomorrow.
He said the authorities manning the roadblocks had been instructed not to recognise any ministerial letter other than the one issued by Miti.
"Farmers, for example, are unable to deliver goods because they carry the letter from the Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry. Some are told at the roadblock that if they wanted to deliver the goods, they also need to get a letter from the Transport Ministry.
"So farmers are at their wits' end as they cannot travel and make deliveries. A member who wanted to send noodles to Melaka was barred from doing so because he was told that he needed a letter from the Transport Ministry on top of the letter from the International Trade and Industry Ministry.
"There are many problems now. With all that is happening, goods cannot be delivered.
"The food supply chain could shut down and this will affect consumers," Kang told the New Straits Times yesterday.
He said the government could make things easier for SME industry players in the food supply chain by giving them permission to travel based on the documents issued by the ministries related to their sector.
For example, he said, it was illogical to ask farmers to get a permission letter from Miti when the Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry was in charge of agricultural and farmers' activities.
"There is no point in making double or triple applications (to travel) or even extending the June 3 deadline.
"The easiest and quickest solution to the problem faced by the industry is for the government to instruct the authorities at the roadblocks to recognise the travel permission letter issued by the Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry. What is important is to allow the deliveries to be made so that the food supply chain is not disrupted."
Kang agreed that applications from the manufacturing, trading and retail sectors should be handled by Miti. The agricultural sector, he said, should come under the Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry and logistics under the Transport Ministry.
"This way, we can solve the confusion and ease congestion at the roadblocks."
Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur Fruit Wholesalers Association treasurer David Tay said 50 members were hoping that Miti would provide them with permission letters by today or tomorrow.
He said much time was wasted due to the confusion in issuing travel permission letters during the total lockdown, coupled with inconsistent information from the ministry.
Tay said there were fewer problems in the delivery of fruits to destinations in the peninsula.
"The authorities have acknowledged the letters issued by the companies to drivers to deliver the goods.
"However, the International Trade and Industry Ministry needs to speed up the approvals so that the deliveries can be made smoothly.
"Otherwise, there could be a breakdown in the food supply chain, resulting in panic-buying and unhappy consumers.
"If things do not move fast, we will see more farmers left with rotting produce.
"Nobody wins if this happens, from the farmers to middlemen and consumers."
Source: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2021/06/695386/smes-warn-disruption-food-supply-chain