Towards cheaper poultry feed

There are over 50,000 layer hens at Barath Poultry Farm in Kluang, Johor. 40 of eggs are sold at the market while the balance is distributed to sundry shops and restaurants in Kluang and Parit Raja, a small town in Batu Pahat, Johor. -- Pix by Sheela Chandran

MALAYSIA is largely self-sufficient in poultry meat (since the 1970s) and chicken eggs (since 1980). The current self-sufficiency level of poultry meat and eggs is 128% and 115% respectively and makes up 75% of the RM10bil livestock industry in this country.

Despite this, the industry is not sustainable in the long term due to heavy dependence on imported feed grains, mainly corn and soybean meal, which make up 80% of poultry diet.