Malaysian Cabinet wants more chicken imports

 

The move to liberalise the entry of imported chicken was also to ensure sufficient supply, said Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

 

While it was up to the Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Ministry to make the decision, the two ministries would have to work together to keep prices down, he said.

 

The liberalisation will decrease the burden on domestic production and enable supply to meet demand, according to Ismail.

 

 

A committee chaired by ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohd Zain Mohd Dom will work out the mechanism, Ismail said.

 

The committee will include representatives from consumer associations, the Federation of Livestock Association, wholesalers, the Agriculture Ministry and other stakeholders. The committee will assume a consultative role in deciding chicken prices, Ismail said.

 

Chicken producers should not be concerned by the move but instead work on lowering prices to benefit the consumers, he said.

 

Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Datuk Noh Omar last week lifted a freeze on the issuance of approved permits for chicken. The freeze was imposed in December last year when Thailand, where most of the imported chicken comes from, faced a bird flu epidemic.

 

Before that, 11 companies were issued with the permits to import boneless chicken, with 19 companies licensed to import whole chicken. However, only three were active.

 

Malaysia consumes 1.3 million birds daily but demand spikes during festive seasons, causing a shortage and a sharp rise in prices.