KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Extreme weather brought about by the El Niño phenomenon could drive up electricity consumption as hotter weather further increases energy demand, particularly from households, with the use of cooling equipment rising, Malaysian Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir has warned.
The El Niño phenomenon could also disrupt food supply chains and add to inflationary pressures, Akmal told a press briefing on Monday.
"Changes in weather conditions are another area that we need to monitor closely," he said. "Any disruption to the food supply chain would have implications for inflation and related issues."
"This has become a key challenge for the Ministry of Economy because, during the first half of the year, we had to deal with the global supply crisis. As a result, our discussions and narrative on longer-term plans may have been delayed or shifted towards addressing more immediate crises," he added.
He said rice stocks are sufficient through the end of the year, while prices of some food items, including meat and vegetables, have eased despite continued fluctuations in the prices of essential goods.
This year's El Niño, which brings hotter and drier conditions and could push temperatures above 40°C, is forecast to occur between October this year and January 2027. ■
