January 17, 2023

Malaysia's import of eggs from India only temporary

Mohamad Sabu, Malaysia's Agriculture and Food Security Minister, said the government will only continue to import eggs from India until domestic supplies have stabilised, Malay Mail reported.

He said the action was taken as a result of a market shortage of eggs caused by local producers' inability to meet demand.

He was responding to the statement made by Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, an Ayer Hitam MP, that the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry (MAFS) should give local farmers priority rather than importing eggs from India to address the issue of a shortage of chicken eggs.

Mohamad said that MAFS was debating whether to keep the subsidy mechanism in place or alter it in order to boost market supply with other ministries, including the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living, the Ministry of Economy, and the Ministry of Finance.

Mohamad outlined five key directions for MAFS this year in order to successfully advance the national food security agenda.

The directives included strengthening the aquaculture sector, increasing grain corn and cattle feedlot farming, increasing youth involvement in the agro-food sector, and empowering agricultural training institutions to produce graduates of the highest calibre.

-      Malay Mail