THE Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) has admitted that the country’s fish supply is not stable yet due to uncertain weather conditions. 

Its chairman Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal said usually in the month of June, the weather would be back to normal but until now, it has been unpredictable, causing fewer fish landings.

“LKIM needs to take the early measure of acquiring as much fish as possible to be frozen during the fishing season and abundant fish landings by fishermen.

“It needs to buy fish from these fishermen to be frozen, not buying from the private sector to ensure sufficient stock during the monsoon season,” he said at a news conference after handing out the aid, Bantuan Kasih Suri Keluarga Malaysia at the P059 Service Centre open hall in Taiping today. 

“LKIM has industrial plants and its own cold rooms for storage, so there’s no question of insufficient supply, hence overcoming the cartel problem. 

“The cartel issue involving fish supply arose as LKIM did not make early preparations to keep fish stocks, resulting in the cartels taking advantage of the situation by reducing fish supply in the market and determining the prices,” he added.

However, he also admitted there are internal problems that several LKIM officers took lightly the proposed storage of fish stock, and he hopes the agency’s top management would take appropriate measures. – Bernama, June 19, 2022.