Enough to go around for Ramadan

Plenty for everyone: Retailers are optimistic over the supply of chicken and eggs for Ramadan. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star

PETALING JAYA: Although supply is still not back to normal, there will be enough chicken and eggs for Ramadan next month, say retailers.

They said supermarkets can also stock imported chicken pieces to meet local demand.

Mydin Mohamed Holdings Bhd managing director Datuk Dr Ameer Ali Mydin said it had not seen a shortage of chicken, adding that the price for poultry was now lower than the government-controlled price of RM9.40 per kg.

The price of chicken last week was lower than RM9.20 per kg.

“There is enough supply of local and imported chicken for Ramadan,” he said in an interview.

However, Ameer Ali said domestic egg production was still low at only 40% of the daily supply in his supermarket.

“We are currently allowed to sell eggs imported from India.

“They are, however, smaller than Grade A, B or C eggs,” he added.

Supermarket chain NSK group senior adviser Datuk Lim Choon Se said the supply of local chicken at its outlets was at over 75% but this was enough for Ramadan.

“We are selling imported chicken parts to meet local demand,” he said.

He added that while there was still a shortage of eggs, consumers were opting for premium eggs.

Federation of Livestock Farmers’ Associations of Malaysia president Tan Chee Hee believes that the current supply of chicken from domestic farms is adequate to meet the demand during Ramadan.

He said while chicken farms were still facing severe challenges and farm production had yet to recover completely, production was gradually improving.

“We do not anticipate a chicken shortage during Ramadan. The price of chickenfeed continues to rise due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and chicken farmers must bear the high cost,” he said.

Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) president Datuk Dr Marimuthu Nadason urged the government to put into place an early warning system to monitor the supply of chickens and eggs in the country.

He also asked the government to continue to allow the importation of chicken and eggs to meet the high demand.