THE government must do more to meet the chicken shortage, including revising the subsidy rate for breeders in line with rising costs, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said today.

The state could also allocate larger areas of land to grow grain to reduce dependence on imports for feed, he said, following a shortage of chickens in markets in several areas over the weekend.

“Although the Agriculture and Food Industries Ministry has allocated RMRM528.52 million for a subsidy of 60 sen per kg of chicken, this rate needs to be reviewed to be in line with increasing costs.

“The disbursement of subsidy must also be implemented without bureaucracy and be given to breeders immediately,” he said in a statement.

On more land for grain cultivation, Loke said all state governments must cooperate in the effort to ensure food security.

Checks at markets yesterday showed wholesale chicken price in the Klang Valley had soared to as high as RM13 per kg as supplies dwindled. Traders have complained that chicken has grown increasingly scarce since Hari Raya.

Supply was running low at the wet markets in Klang, Shah Alam and Chow Kit.

The shortage came amid reports that poultry processing factories would stop production over the weekend as farmers complained of delayed subsidies.

A chicken processing factory said it was stopping work because its chickens had not reached the desired weight of 1.8kg; it also cited disease as another reason for the dearth.

Loke said the government must offer adequate subsidy aid so that the poultry supply chain does not suffer losses.

“The issue should not have happened and the government’s failure to address this issue is totally unacceptable.”

“As chicken is the main source of food for all Malaysians, the government must ensure that the supply of chicken in the market is always sufficient by resolving the problem facing farmers immediately.”

He said the ceiling price for chicken as a controlled commodity must be maintained

He also said the government’s decision to remove approved permit requirement to import foodstuffs is not a “magic bullet” to solve the problem of rising food prices and maintain supplies.

Chicken supply and prices have been affected by the Russia-Ukraine war, which has disrupted exports of feed, including corn and wheat. – May 23, 2022.