Gov't to review chicken ceiling price after Aug 31

PUTRAJAYA: The government will review the standard chicken retail ceiling price as well as the approval to export chicken after the implementation of the RM9.40 per kilogramme ceiling price in Peninsular Malaysia ends on Aug 31, said Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee.

"For sure, after Aug 31, the government will study whether to maintain the subsidy or to float the price or to reopen the export of whole chicken abroad.

"That we will consider. We have another month to monitor developments in the poultry industry," he told the media after launching the AgroTech Pavilion at the Malaysian Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Exhibition (MAHA) 2022 here today.

The government had capped the retail price of standard chicken at RM9.40 per kilogramme in Peninsular Malaysia from July 1 to Aug 31, and also agreed to fix the retail ceiling price of grade A chicken eggs at 45 sen each, grade B eggs at 43 sen each and grade C eggs at 41 sen each in Peninsular Malaysia, also effective July 1.

Ronald said the government is aware that there are some who are selling standard chicken lower than the set ceiling price.

"From the industry's perspective, we set price controls but the government compensates by giving subsidies to farmers of RM1.20 per kilogramme.

"So the government's move (in giving subsidies) has stabilised the supply of chicken and its prices in the market," he said.

On the MAHA 2022 Agrotech Pavilion, Ronald said a total of eight exhibitors will be participating, namely the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, the Malaysian Institute of Agricultural Research and Development, the Muda Agricultural Development Authority, Agrobank, Bioeconomy Corporation, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, Aerodyne Group and SAT.ASIA.

The AgroTech Pavilion located in Hall D2, Malaysian Agricultural Exposition Park (MAEPS) in Serdang, themed Industrial Revolution 4.0, will showcase the latest agricultural technology such as the Internet of Things, smart farm management systems, plant factories, agricultural drones, robotics technology, agricultural data management, geographic information systems and biotechnology, he said.

MAHA 2022 will be held in a hybrid manner from Aug 4 to 14, with the theme 'Food Security for the Future', targeting some 1.1 million visitors and RM250 million in potential sales value.

The biennial exhibition was last held in 2018 before being interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

-- BERNAMA