KUCHING, Sept 17: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) will not hesitate to implement all-time price restrictions if the price of poultry continues to be increased unreasonably.
According to KPDNHEP minister Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi, the ministry has no plans to introduce any price restrictions other than those implemented during major festive seasons under the Festive Season Maximum Price Control Scheme (SHMMP).
“Therefore, we are consistently monitoring the prices of poultry to ensure that there is no profiteering activities or price manipulation among the traders using a control mechanism through the anti-profiteering legislation, which is under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 (AKHAP 2011),” he said in a statement today.
Nanta noted KPDNHEP is now focusing on holding engagement sessions with the industry players comprising suppliers, breeders, and wholesalers to prevent the increase of retail prices of poultry, which would affect consumers.
He said the engagement session is conducted by issuing a Notification Letter (SP) under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 to traders, which is used as a ‘soft approach’ while taking into account the situation that is faced by the industry following the increase of prices for animal feed.
He explained an SP will act as a reminder to traders in each chain to always ensure that price changes will not burden the end consumers.
“The positive result can be seen from the implementation of this mechanism where the poultry prices in the market have stabilised this time, as a result of the cooperation from manufacturers as well as other parties involved in the poultry marketing chain,” he added.
Apart from that, Nanta said in addressing the high cost of animal feed that is often a complaint by farmers, KPDNHEP is also working with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI) to ensure high costs of livestock feed for chicken and chicks are minimised and managed well.
He said about 80 per cent of chicken feed is imported and the increase in price globally also affects the price of chicken in the international market.
“As a proactive measure, I will hold a meeting and discussion not only with MAFI, but also the Ministry of Finance (MOF) to find a long-term solution that is reasonable and can be implemented by the Government to stabilise the price of poultry,” he assured.
He pointed out that KPDNHEP has taken several approaches to address the issue of increasing standard chicken prices in the market, such as by conducting an engagement session with the poultry breeders and farmers.
“KPDNHEP also has taken a comprehensive inspection conducted by the Ministry’s enforcement officers at all levels of the poultry supply chain which subjected to the AKHAP 2011.
“As such, traders are warned to not take the opportunity to increase their price arbitrarily at any level of the supply chain,” he said. – DayakDaily.
