Malaysia lobby group wants removal of pork import ban

 

 

The National Pork Sellers Association is urging the Malaysian government to lift the ban on imported chilled pork to keep prices stable ahead of the upcoming Chinese New Year.

 

Association president Goh Chui Lai said they are not looking for permission to import frozen pork but chilled meat kept at 2-4 degree Celsius to retain its freshness.

 

Goh said the shortage of pork in Malaysia has caused the prices to soar recently. The shortage is serious and there is a need for a proper system to ensure that local consumers can continue to have pork at reasonable prices.

 

Current pork prices stand at MYR400 (US$116.4) per 100kg in Vietnam, MYR500 (US$145.6) in China and MYR600 (US$174.7) in Thailand, in contrast with the MYR765 (US$222.7) per 100kg in Malaysia, said Goh.

 

But the Federation of Livestock Farmers Association objected to the proposal, saying it is a calculated move to hit the local pig farming industry and to stifle the local pork market.

 

Beh Kim Hee, the federation's pig unit chief, said pork imported from neighbours may be of lower quality and could affect consumer confidence in the industry as a whole.

 

Beh said the pork price increases are normal based on market forces of supply and demand and the increase in production costs with farms being upgraded to improve hygiene and sanitary conditions. 

 

He said the current ex-farm price of pigs of MYR760 (US$221.2) per 100kg is reasonable.