Selangor govt sets ceiling price for chicken at RM8 per kg

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor government has fixed the maximum retail price for standard chicken at RM8 per kilogramme through the Ehsan Food Prices Intervention Programme which will be implemented for two weeks starting Monday.

Menteri Besar Datuk Amirudin Shari said the initiative would be implemented through the Selangor Agricultural Development Corporation (PKPS) at two of its outlets, namely the Selangor Wholesale Market and Wisma PKPS here.

He also said that the price of eggs was reduced to RM11.70 from RM12.40 per carton and the price reduction cost would be borne by PKPS through a RM1 million fund.

"The programme is also to welcome the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry's efforts to reduce chicken price," he told reporters at Wisma PKPS here today.

Last Monday, the government announced that the maximum retail price for standard chicken was reduced by 20 per cent to RM8.90 from the fixed ceiling price of RM9.10.

Amirudin said for a start, the state government has allocated 50,000 chickens to be sold during the programme.

"We will limit the number of purchases to two whole chickens per person because we don't want the buyer to take advantage of the situation for the industry.

"Currently we have chicken farms that can produce 540,000 chickens per cycle and each cycle is about three months. So, each month we will have over 150,000 chickens," he said.

To address the shortage of eggs in several localities, Amirudin said the state government would try to deal with the largest egg producer (QL Resources Berhad) which leased land owned by a state government subsidiary to ensure adequate supply in Selangor.

-- BERNAMA