PUTRAJAYA: Discussions will be carried out with the Finance Ministry as well as the Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry to search for a long term solution to stabilise chicken prices.

       Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said while there are no plans to implement price control on the produce for now, the ministry may enforce this if prices at every level of the distribution chain continue to go up unreasonably.

       Currently, the price of poultry meat is capped along with a list of other essential food items during festive seasons.

       “I will be bringing up this matter with both the ministries and look for a reasonable solution that can be put in place to stabilise chicken prices.

       “For now, we are consistently monitoring and checking prices of the poultry meat to ensure no manipulation of prices among traders,” he said in a statement yesterday in response to complaints about a surge in the price of chicken.

       Based on the monitoring of wholesale price on Sept 10, the average price of standard chicken (cleaned) at national level is RM8.83/kg.

       The price increase had been attributed to the increase in the cost of primary ingredients for chicken feed namely soy, corn and palm oil, which had gone up several times this year.

       Nanta said his ministry is engaging with the Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry to look at various costs in breeding chickens such as imported feed and chicks.

       He added that the aim is to see how to minimise the impact of these costs on the price of poultry meat at the consumer level.

       “About 80% of the chicken feed used in the country is imported,” he said, adding that no cartel activities have been detected and that the ministry is working closely with the Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) to look into the matter.

       The ministry is aware of the losses suffered by traders due to the movement control order which had affected their businesses, said Nanta, but he pointed out that this does not justify any action in increasing prices to cushion losses.

       “We will continue to monitor closely the price of chicken.”

       in the market and will take legal action if warranted,” he said.