POULTRY farmers are hoping that the government will continue to provide subsidies to them despite the newly announced ceiling price for chicken.

They said – while the government has introduced a new ceiling price of RM9.40, up 50 sen from RM8.90 – broiler prices have not changed.

“Broiler prices in neighbouring countries such as Singapore and Thailand are going up, but here the government is controlling the top price of chicken yet maintaining the same price for broilers,” Federation of Livestock Farmers’ Association Malaysia advisor Jeffrey Ng told The Malaysian Insight.

However, the increase of the ceiling price is still a positive move, he said.

“The government has not abandoned us this time around, as it decided to increase the ceiling price,” he said.

Yesterday, the government announced the new ceiling price, backtracking on its initial plans to float the price of chicken.

Chicken eggs in the peninsula will also have a new ceiling price, where Grade A eggs will be priced at RM0.45 each, Grade B at RM0.43 each and Grade C at RM0.41 each.

Ng said he was hopeful that the government would continue subsiding farmers.

The association will be meeting with the authorities and an announcement is expected to be made on July 1, he said.

Meanwhile, the federation’s broiler unit chairman Kwei Yew Tong said the new price was not comprehensive enough.

In terms of subsidies, he said while the government has promised to continue paying them, the amount has not been announced.

“We want to maintain the subsidy at RM1.40/kg,” Kwei said.

“Things are more expensive now. If we don’t maintain this subsidy, how will we continue to raise chickens?” he asked.

From February to March 30 this year, poultry farmers received a subsidy of 60 sen/kg. This was increased to RM1.40 from April 1 to June 30.

Besides subsidies, the long-standing labour shortage problem was also plaguing the industry, Kwei said.

“We have raised this issue so many times but it has not been resolved. When there are fewer workers, productivity will also decrease.” – June 30, 2022.