Importing eggs from India only temporary - Mat Sabu

 

The government will only import eggs from India until local supplies stabilise, said Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu.

He explained that the measure was taken because local producers were unable to meet the demand which resulted in a shortage of eggs in the market.

“The problem now is that local farmers are not producing enough eggs,” he told reporters after delivering his New Year’s message to the ministry’s staff in Putrajaya today.

He was commenting on Ayer Hitam MP Wee Ka Siong’s statement that the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry should prioritise local farmers instead of importing eggs from India to deal with the shortage issue.

Mohamad said his ministry was holding discussions with the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry, the Economy Ministry and the Finance Ministry as well as local egg producers on whether to continue or make changes to the subsidy mechanism to increase supply in the market.

According to Mohamad, during the cabinet ministers’ retreat yesterday, Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Zuki Ali said that based on public views, the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry received the ‘lowest rating’ in terms of performance following the shortage of chicken and egg supplies.

Meanwhile, Mohamad outlined five main directions for his ministry this year to make the national food security agenda a success.

They included empowering the aquaculture industry; expanding cattle feedlot farming and grain corn cultivation; increasing youths’ involvement in the agro-food sector and smart agriculture; as well as empowering agricultural training institutes to produce high-quality graduates.

- Bernama