No chicken cutting charges in Melaka after price flotation

MELAKA: Charges for cutting chicken will not be imposed on consumers in Melaka after subsidies and price controls on chicken were discontinued effective on Wednesday (Nov 1).

State Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry director Norena Jaafar said the price of chicken sold to consumers in public markets as well as supermarkets in the state will be based on weight per kg.

"The results of monitoring in public markets today found that the average price of fresh chicken was RM8.90 per kg including cutting services. After the price flotation, it will be an open market...there may be price haggling between consumers and traders but it is up to each individual.

"This will however, not happen in supermarkets," she told reporters after inspecting chicken prices at the Melaka Historic City Council wet market in Bachang here today..

"The ministry guarantees that chicken to be sold will be new and fresh even though there is no price hike for goods currently."

Elaborating further Norena said a total of 21 ministry price monitoring officers would be mobilised to all public markets and supermarkets in the state on a daily basis to monitor the price of chicken supplies.

At the same time, she said until yesterday (Oct 31), inspections have been carried out on 25,422 business premises involving retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers and farmers in Melaka.

She said during this period, her team received 1,031 official complaints related to the prices of goods and five official complaints for various offences related to chicken.

"The ministry will also implement continuous monitoring and enforcement under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 (AKHAP 2011).

"These is to ensure there are no excessive profit-taking activities and price manipulation by irresponsible traders involving all levels of business," she added.- Bernama