Latest news with #JohorSmallandMediumPoultryFarmersAssociation
The Star
5 days ago
- Business
- The Star
MCA urges swift action to address poultry farmers' subsidy delays, costly farming rules
PETALING JAYA: MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong has called on the government to urgently resolve two pressing issues faced by small and medium-sized poultry farmers in Johor, following a meeting between their association and Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu. Dr Wee said the Johor Small and Medium Poultry Farmers Association, led by its president Lim Kah Tseng, had raised concerns over delayed government subsidies and new farming regulations that threaten farmers' livelihoods. 'The association informed the minister that since 2022, 11 chicken and egg farmers in Johor have been owed more than RM2.01mil in subsidies meant to help offset the cost burden from government-imposed price ceilings on broiler chickens and eggs. 'However, payments have been repeatedly delayed, with 'technical issues' cited as the reason,' he said in a statement on Wednesday (Aug 13). Dr Wee added that farmers were also troubled by new guidelines introduced by PLANMalaysia in August 2023, which allow local councils to regulate poultry farming and require open-air farms to be converted into closed-house systems. Lim had explained that the conversion would be unsuitable for Malaysia's hot and humid climate, could increase infrastructure costs by up to sevenfold, around RM5mil, and involve complicated application processes, making survival difficult for small and medium operators. 'The minister listened attentively for over an hour and assured the association that he would engage the relevant agencies to help resolve the issues,' Dr Wee said.
New Straits Times
30-04-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Industry association: Impact of egg subsidy cut to be known next week
JOHOR BARU: Any chain reaction effects, including changes in the price of chicken eggs following the reduction of raw material subsidies from 10 sen to 5 sen starting tomorrow, can only be determined in about a week's time. Johor Small and Medium Poultry Farmers Association chairman Lim Ka Cheng said that the market prices of essential items, including chicken eggs, are influenced by supply and demand factors. However, he said the current supply of chicken eggs in the market is sufficient. "The shelf life of fresh chicken eggs is only about a week, and for this week, supply is sufficient. "But we need to observe the situation next week to see whether there will be any chain effects, particularly if egg prices increase once this week's supply cycle concludes," he said. Earlier, the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry announced that the subsidy for chicken eggs would be reduced from 10 sen to 5 sen starting tomorrow, and completely abolished from Aug 1. The ministry said that the decision was made after taking into account the commitment of industry players to ensure a sufficient and secure supply of chicken eggs, as production costs have stabilised. They added that this was evident during the recent Aidilfitri festive season, during which supply remained adequate and prices were competitive. Ka Cheng admitted that egg suppliers were surprised by the ministry's announcement, as the subsidy had benefited consumers by enabling eggs to be sold at lower prices. "This move (subsidy reduction) was not communicated to industry players, and we are concerned that there will be knock-on effects following the announcement," he said. Ka Cheng added that, although chicken and egg prices in Malaysia are among the lowest in Asean, this does not guarantee price stability at all times. "This is because over 90 per cent of chicken feed - mainly corn - is fully imported, particularly from Brazil and Argentina. "With ongoing economic uncertainties, including the implementation of tariffs, imported feed prices are expected to rise, which will in turn affect the final price of essential goods. "Therefore, we strongly urge the government to engage in consultation with industry players when introducing any policy changes, so that no party - especially consumers and farmers - has to bear undue consequences," he said.
