By Karen Bong, Lian Cheng and Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, June 17: Chicken prices are set to rise next month, and breeders, wholesalers, and farmers have been reminded not to make unreasonable profits by taking advantage of the floating price system, which will begin July 1 following the end of the maximum retail price control scheme.
Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi said the industry stakeholders had been told not to raise the price of chicken too steeply; otherwise, the Ministry will not hesitate to take action against errant traders for profiteering.
“Chicken producers and traders have informed us that the price of chicken will increase (next month). We will understand if they reasonably increase the price at an acceptable margin as they also need to absorb the increase in operating cost.
“We must understand that there is global inflation and disruptions to delivery and logistics as well as supply. Therefore, we cannot deny that (business) operating costs have increased drastically, which in turn would also increase the prices on the retail side,” he told the media at a doorstep interview at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK), where the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Convention is ongoing today.
Nanta, who is PBB secretary-general, also called on consumers to understand the present economic situation and the plight of the chicken industry, which, if suppressed for too long, would instead aggravate the situation.
He said it could lead to a shortage of chickens if breeders and producers cannot supply to meet the demands, as many small farms had already closed down and could not afford to continue operating.
“We do not want Malaysia to be in that situation which would force us to import chickens, which will be strange as all these while, the country has always been self-sufficient (with chicken) with supply more than demand. This shows the maturity of the industry.
“If we are too harsh on the chicken industry, it will have an adverse effect which would also affect the consumers. So all of us must understand this,” he explained.
The Kapit MP also hopes the chicken issue will not be sensationalised while calling all Malaysians and Sarawakians to move forward as calmly as possible because a wrong step could worsen the situation.
He also assured that the Federal government, through the Ministry of Finance (MOF), had decided to give targeted subsidies because the current blanket subsidy was no longer effective and the mechanism needed to be improved.
“We will not neglect those who need the subsidy but for the details, let the MOF explain,” he added. — DayakDaily
