April 20, 2026

Malaysia's poultry farmers selling chickens below cost

Poultry farmers in Malaysia are selling their chickens below cost to keep stocks moving, said the Federation of Livestock Farmers Association.

Its adviser, Jeffrey Ng, said the Middle East crisis has driven up feed prices, pushing production costs up by 5-7%.

Yet demand has softened, leaving farmers with excess supply.

"Because of market concern and sentiment, the demand for chicken and eggs is low," he said, adding that current prices are below production cost.

The mismatch has created a paradox across the market: retail prices appear to be rising, but farmers are offloading perishable goods at a loss as they cannot afford to hold stock.

In other segments of the produce sector, traders said they are absorbing much of the pressure rather than passing it on.

Mohamad Sabu, Malaysia's Agriculture and Food Security Minister, said the ministry would continue to hold engagement sessions to find the best solutions to reduce pressure on farmers, industry players, and consumers.

"We fully understand the mounting pressures and challenges faced by livestock farmers amid ongoing industry concerns."

— New Straits Times