Chicken shortage on the agenda for Selangor officials

 

Consumers and dealers have complained of a shortage of chicken in the market.

PETALING JAYA: A special meeting will be held tomorrow to discuss the problems facing the poultry industry in Selangor and how to ensure sufficient supply.

Bernama quoted state executive councillor Izham Hashim as saying that all relevant departments and agencies would attend the meeting.

Izham said he had also asked the state veterinary department to contact all poultry suppliers and breeders in Selangor to check the status of the raw materials in the state.

A special meeting of the federal Cabinet is also being held tomorrow over food supply problems.

The increase in the price of raw materials to produce chicken feed had been said to be among the factors that had contributed to the shortage of chicken in Selangor.

Izham said his office is also investigating whether Selangor is actually facing a shortage in the supply of imported chicken from Thailand and China, which accounts for about 60% of supply in the state.

“The supply of chicken in Selangor before this was not enough. Only 35-40% are locally sourced while the rest are imported. We need to look at all sides in this matter,” he said.

Izham said earlier reports indicated that there was a high demand for chicken due to the festive season. The fall in chicken supply was also attributed to a poultry disease but Izham said there had been no official reports on the matter.

Rationing in Perlis

Chicken traders in Perlis are reported to have started rationing their sales following action by producers to halt operations temporarily as the weight of chickens produced did not meet the required standard.

Perlis department of veterinary services director Dr Adam Abdullah Kwan said the traders decided to ration the sale of chicken to enable more customers to buy chicken.

A chicken trader, Ismanizam Ismail, 40, said he had ordered 200 chickens but only received 20.

“During Aidilfitri celebrations in previous years, I could usually sell 1,000 chickens, but this year’s Aidilfitri I only sold 150,” he said.

Domestic trade and consumer affairs minister Alexander Nanta Linggi said a Cabinet meeting tomorrow would determine the government’s intervention measures to resolve food supply problems, especially chicken.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had announced that the Cabinet meeting tomorrow would discuss the issue of rising cost of living and food supply. - FMT