MAFI to assist those wanting to bring in food supplies

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI) will assist any party interested in bringing in food supplies into the country, especially chicken from legal processing plants following the abolition of import permits (AP), said its secretary-general Datuk Haslina Abdul Hamid.

She said the move to import chickens and the Cabinet directive to stop poultry exports from June 1 would be able to stabilise the supply of poultry soon.

"For the interested parties, MAFI will help in terms of ease of doing business. As for the subsidy payments to the poultry farmers which were alleged to have been delayed, MAFI has taken step to intervene.

"We will be able to see the positive effects of all these measures soon," she said in an interview on Bernama TV's Ruang Bicara Khas programme on the topic "Joint Approach by MAFI and KPDNHEP : Is the Chicken Supply Issue Resolved?" broadcast live yesterday.

On long-term solutions to the national food supply issue, Haslina said MAFI was committed to increasing the country's self-sufficiency, especially in meat production.

Citing corn as an example, she said the grain which has been used as animal feed and was previously imported, is now being grown in the country on a large scale in Chuping, Perlis with the involvement of government-linked companies.

Meanwhile, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) secretary-general Datuk Azman Mohd Yusof, who was also a guest on the programme, said the issue of rising prices and shortage of chicken supply is expected to be resolved within a month.

"Consumers who come across chickens being sold at a high price can make an official complaint by giving detailed information. Use the various channels provided by KPDNHEP to lodge your complaints," he said.

"To help the public buy essential goods at affordable prices, KPDNHEP will continue to organise various sales programmes from time to time," he said while urging consumers to watch out for these programmes.

-- BERNAMA