Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic adversely impacted Malaysia’s economic growth, as well as the price of fresh food. The impact of COVID-19 on selected fresh food prices in Malaysia during the Movement Control Order (MCO) phases had been analysed. The objective of this study was to investigate any significant difference in price changes after MCO implementation on fresh food items. The samples were collected from 40 local and imported items. The prices of these items were recorded daily during the phases of the Movement Control Order. A paired t-test was carried out to analyse the differences between the mean price of the selected items during pre-MCO and RMCO. Besides that, this study intended to evaluate the effect of price difference in every phase of MCO by using analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by a specific comparison method and the price differences between regions. About 35% of fresh food items were sold at higher prices than in the pre-MCO period. Celery had the highest price increment, while all types of shallots showed the most significant price drop. In total, there was 27 fresh food items that fluctuated in price, most of which revealed a price rise during the 2nd and 4 phases of MCO. Eight items were volatile in price based on standard deviation values, and all items had different prices between regions. The highest price was frequently observed in Sabah and Sarawak. The government should implement measures to maintain the price of local and imported fresh food for consumers. Although the prices of these items were relatively stable during these phases, price monitoring should be done regularly to encourage producers to produce and market their products consistently.
Abstrak
COVID-19 telah diisytihar sebagai pandemik dan situasi ini memberi impak negatif terhadap pertumbuhan ekonomi Malaysia termasuklah kesan ke atas harga makanan segar. Oleh itu, impak COVID-19 ke atas harga makanan segar terpilih di Malaysia sepanjang fasa Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan (PKP) telah dianalisis. Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk mengkaji perubahan 40 harga makanan segar tempatan dan import yang signifikan selepas PKP dilaksanakan. Harga harian makanan segar tersebut direkod sebelum dan sepanjang pelaksanaan PKP. Analisis ujian t berpasangan dijalankan untuk menganalisis perbezaan harga purata makanan segar sebelum PKP dan selepas fasa Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan Pemulihan (PKPP). Selain itu, kajian ini dilaksanakan untuk menilai perubahan harga di setiap fasa PKP dan antara zon menggunakan ANOVA. Sebanyak 35% makanan segar dijual pada harga yang lebih tinggi berbanding dengan sebelum pelaksanaan PKP. Peningkatan harga tertinggi yang direkodkan ialah daun saderi, manakala semua jenis bawang kecil mengalami penurunan harga yang tertinggi. Terdapat 27 harga makanan segar meningkat dan menurun, terutamanya peningkatan harga ketika fasa kedua dan keempat PKP. Sebanyak lapan barang makanan segar terbukti mengalami turun naik harga melalui analisis sisihan piawai. Semua barangan juga menunjukkan harga yang berbeza di setiap zon. Harga tertinggi direkodkan di Sabah dan Sarawak. Kerajaan perlu melaksanakan tindakan sewajarnya untuk mengekalkan harga makanan segar tempatan dan import daripada melambung tinggi. Walaupun harga makanan segar adalah stabil sepanjang tempoh pelaksanaan PKP, pemantauan harga perlu sering dilaksanakan untuk memastikan pengeluar makanan menjual dan memasarkan barangan segar secara konsisten.