The Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry has given an assurance vegetable supplies for the domestic market will not be affected despite the authorities' ongoing efforts to tear down illegal vegetable farms and track down illegal workers in Cameron Highlands.

Its minister, Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this was because the supplies of vegetables from the illegal farms in Cameron Highlands were never included as the national vegetable supplies' statistics.

"The government will try its best to find an alternative, including importing vegetables from outside the country if the national supplies are affected," he told reporters after launching the AgroAgent at Dataran Kerayong near Bera today.

Also present were Agrobank chairperson Faizah Mohd Tahir and Bank Negara Enterprise and Financial Development Department director Marina Kahar.

In a related development, Ismail Sabri said his ministry would not compromise with any quarters which hired foreign workers to work in the illegal vegetable farms in the highlands.

"If it is true, the supplies of vegetables are affected, we will strive to find ways to ensure adequate supplies but to allow foreign workers to work illegally until they dominate the Cameron Highlands, we will not compromise on that," he added.

- Bernama