THE special approval for the temporary import of eggs does not involve public funds, the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry said.

In a statement today, the ministry said any expenditure and risks to import eggs are fully borne by the importing company and no public funds are used.

“The Malaysian government does not provide subsidies to imported chicken eggs as enjoyed by local chicken egg producers,” it said.

On December 6, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu announced the approval to import eggs as a temporary measure to overcome a shortage.

The special approval until June 30 was given to J&E Advance Tech Sdn Bhd and an egg exporting company in India that has the supply capacity and has supplied eggs to Qatar during the 2022 World Cup.

The ministry said to ensure that the people get imported eggs that are safe and disease-free, the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department and Veterinary Services Department implemented controls at the country’s entrance.

The control is a hold, test and release (HTR) test that includes PCR tests for the detection of salmonella bacteria, Newcastle Disease virus and avian influenza.

“Only eggs that pass the HTR test are allowed to enter the country. So far, no imported chicken eggs have failed this test,” the ministry said. – Bernama, March 13, 2023.