BELURAN: The government has taken a number of measures to ensure the Russia-Ukraine conflict does not affect food production and to control food prices in the country.

       Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee (pic) said these included providing subsidies for several food items such as chicken and eggs in the face of unforeseen circumstances caused by the conflict.

       "We (the government) understand that the rise in costs has become out of control, causing the cost of food production in our country to also be affected.

       "The government is taking measures and short- and long-term intervention to ensure that production is not (severely) affected and to control price increases faced by our consumers due to rising input costs from outside," he told reporters after the opening of the concrete bridge at Kampung Keniogan near here Sunday (March 20).

       He said the project, which started on May 4 and was completed on March 13, was implemented by the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority at a cost of almost RM1mil.

       Ronald, who is also MP for Beluran, said the authority had also repaired jetties at three locations in Beluran, namely Kampung Muanad 2, Kampung Seri Menanti and Kampung Keramat, while 18 other jetties and bridges around the fishing village were in the process of being repaired, upgraded or rebuilt to provide better fish landing facilities.

       The minister also inspected fishermen's houses that were repaired under the Fishermen's Special Housing Project in Kampung Keniogan, part of the 200 in Beluran covered by an allocation of RM3mil.

       He said the government, through the authority, had allocated more than RM150mil this year to provide assistance and incentives to the fishing community nationwide.

       "This includes the fishermen's cost-of-living allowance, diesel and petrol subsidies, a general fund, a disaster and welfare fund, cash crop projects, economic project assistance and a food basket programme," he said. – Bernama