Poultry farmers not jumping for joy just yet

JOHOR BARU: The removal of price controls for chickens and eggs will give poultry farmers some “breathing space” but they are wary about being “too happy too soon,” according to the Federation of Livestock Farmers’ Association of Malaysia.

The federation’s broiler unit chairman Kwei Yew Tong said chicken farmers have been facing challenges and operating at a loss for many years as they have had to meet government’s ceiling price.

“We have to factor in the feed costs as well as logistics and with the weather being so unpredictable, it is tough.

“However, we do not want to get ahead of ourselves by being too happy too soon as the price will depend on consumers. Once the price controls are scrapped from July 1, the pricing will be determined by supply and demand.

“It is still too early to tell at this point,” he said when contacted.

Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said yesterday the price of eggs and chickens would be floated and subsidies for poultry producers would also end on June 30.

To ensure that the supply of chickens and eggs can be stabilised, the ministry will implement a soft landing mechanism, he told Parliament in a written reply.