Chicken eggs supply stable in Sabah, says Kitingan

KOTA KINABALU: The supply of chicken eggs in Sabah remains stable and sufficient, says the state Agriculture and Fisheries Ministry.

Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said his ministry, through the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS), has recently monitored the operations of chicken farms here, particularly the major egg-producing ones.

“The majority of the farms reported back to the department that they have no problem meeting the demands of consumers in Sabah.

“In other words, the supply remains stable, and the number of eggs produced remains the same as previously.

“The government has also imposed strict pricing control on the product,” he said in a statement on Tuesday (July 12).

He admitted there may be an increase in demand for chicken eggs since they are the cheapest protein source, leading to some consumers reporting difficulty in trying to purchase them in some areas in Sabah.

In relation to that, he also proposed forming a special task force on food security to seek ways to reduce food imports by increasing local production, and "not just chicken or pork, but also rice and wheat".

“My ministry is looking for measures to help the private sector meet rising demand, while also reducing the price of other protein sources, particularly chicken meat and pork.

“At present, while the pricing of chicken and pork are determined by the state ministry, we must still follow guidelines set by the DVS at the federal level, such as accepting only goods produced by abattoirs recognised by the federal DVS.

“Besides the recommended special task force, we should also demand devolution of the power of the federal DVS to the state DVS here.

“This way we can decide on our own and expand our list of acceptable overseas abattoirs to supplement our locally produced chicken and pork meat,” he explained.

Kitingan believed these measures will help alleviate the problem of rising food prices, directly easing the burden on the people.