Egg supply not affected by US shortage, smuggling reports, says Mat Sabu

 

Mohamad Sabu said cooperation between his ministry and local egg producers has ensured that production and supply are at a stable and satisfactory level.

PETALING JAYA: 

The supply of chicken eggs remains sufficient and stable to meet domestic demands, according to agriculture and food security minister Mohamad Sabu.

Mohamad, also known as Mat Sabu, said this to allay confusion stemming from media reports regarding the sudden increase in prices of chicken eggs in the US as well as allegations of possible smuggling of chicken eggs abroad.

“The close cooperation between (the ministry) and local egg producers has ensured the level of daily egg production is at a stable and satisfactory level,” he said in a statement today.

“To guarantee the stability of supply, (the ministry) always implements monitoring of the production and distribution of chicken eggs from the farm level to the end-user.”

Mohamad said enforcement measures are also being strengthened through strategic cooperation with other agencies and ministries to monitor the export of food supplies abroad.

He said the government, through his ministry, remained committed to ensuring the country’s food security through comprehensive policies and strategic action plans.

This includes efforts to increase local production capacity and provide support to the agro-food industry.

He advised the public not to engage in baseless speculation and to always refer to verified information through the ministry’s official channels.

“The ministry will continue to monitor the latest developments and is prepared to take immediate action, if necessary, to ensure the stability and adequacy of the country’s food supply,” he said.

Yesterday, news reports of the possibility of chicken eggs being smuggled to the US surfaced after the ministry acknowledged concerns regarding the matter, following the US’s sharp increase in egg prices due to supply shortages. - FMT