April 16, 2014

Malaysia's chicken price to remain steady during Ramadan

In order to meet demand during the Ramadan, the price of chicken in Malaysia will be maintained based on adequate production supply.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister, Datuk Seri Hasan Malek said the ministry and poultry suppliers and breeders were negotiating a reasonable ceiling price.

He said that based on their discussion with producers, there is an adequate supply of chicken, and there should be no question of a chicken price hike.

"In the past, the Price Control Scheme was enforced two weeks before and two weeks after Hari Raya. Now for the whole month of Ramadan, the price of chicken will be maintained," he told reporters after visiting PPNJ Poultry & Meat Sdn Bhd, a chicken processing factory.

He said the ministry was now studying the Price Control Scheme and its findings would be announced soon.

On the price of domestic chicken, he said statistics from 2006 to 2012 showed production was higher than consumption.

In 2006, local consumption was 390 million chickens which rose by 52% to 594 million chickens in 2012. However, the production of broilers in 2006 was 427 million chicks which rose by 49% to 637 million chicks in 2012, he said.

Apart from that, he said studies by the Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) showed there were only 292 poultry farms registered as valid business entities with the Malaysian Companies Commissioner (SSM).

The total covered just 12.1% of the overall 2,402 poultry farms recorded by the Veterinary Services Department, he said.