THE price of live pigs on the peninsula has risen to RM13 per kg – the highest in two years – but people in the food business are resisting the urge to raise their menu prices again.

They fear another price hike could drive away customers who are already struggling to cope with inflation.

Penang Pig Farmers Association chairman Wong Fu Sheng told The Malaysian Insight that the high cost of animal feed and African swine fever have led caused prices to surge.

Wong said prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the price of corn feed was RM800 per tonne. This has now more than doubled to RM2,000 per tonne.

Soybean feed, he added, has shot up from RM1,600 to RM3,100 per tonne.

Rice bran cost RM700 per tonne before the pandemic and it now costs RM1,500, while the price of wheat bran has skyrocketed from RM700 to RM1,450 per tonne.

Animal Farming Sdn Bhd managing director Yong Sheng Qiao said farmers will only use animal feed now instead swill as they did in the past for fear of the pigs contracting the deadly African swine fever.

He said bio-security to prevent the disease has also added to the cost.

He added the infection is devastating to the farmer as it means culling of the infected pigs.

“Farmers have complained they face cash flow problems after being hit by the ASF as the state governments require them to do a thorough clean up and some reconstruction.

“They say they simply do not have the cash to buy the material for reconstruction.”

According to the Veterinary Department, there are 437 pig farms on the peninsula.

Klang Samy, who owns the Restoran Samy & Tien Bak Kut Teh chain of 10 restaurants in Selangor, said prices will remain unchanged for now.

“I have adjusted once in June, so this time I just have to wait and see what happens.”

Samy said he raised his bak kut teh by RM1 a bowl to RM14.

That, he said, is still “pretty cheap”.

“The price of pork is rising every month,” he complained.

Samy said he was surviving because of his regular customers.

“They understand the pressure we face.”

Amy Sim of MR Black Hand-made Pau Enterprise in Tanjung Sepat said the price of pork at her shop has shot up from RM12 to RM17 per kg.

“There are no signs that the price of pork will level out.

“We are not just facing rise in the price of pork. We are also facing increases in the price of chicken, flour and cooking oil.

“We can’t raise the price of our steamed buns each time the price goes up. We have also not resorted to making our pau smaller.”

Sim said she last adjusted her prices by 30 sen in October.

To cut costs, Sim said her workforce had been cut from two to one.

“The boss now has to make the buns.” – August 26, 2022.