KUALA NERUS: There are poultry breeders who impose hidden charges on wholesalers, causing an increase in the price of food in the market, said the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry.

       An inspection of wholesalers discovered there were farmers who charged 70 sen per kilogramme of chicken to the wholesalers for catching the birds, said its Terengganu director Saharuddin Mohd Kia.

       This, he said, caused the wholesalers to bear additional costs that would then be imposed on retailers and consumers.

       “In the invoice, the price given by breeders to wholesalers is in accordance with the rate set by the government, which is RM5.60 per kilogramme.

       “Yet, breeders also charge an external or hidden charge of 70 sen per kilogramme,” he said after conducting an inspection at one of the largest poultry wholesalers in Terengganu.

       Saharuddin said that this should not happen because the government had already given special subsidies to breeders to cover input costs, such as the import of chicken feed and so on.

       Thus, the ministry will conduct an investigation immediately to see whether the farmers have received subsidies from the government or not.

       “We will investigate this matter because before the movement control order, there were no such charges.

       “When the farm starts imposing such charges, it will affect the wholesalers and retailers, who will also increase prices on the grounds of having to bear the cost of transportation, ice, plastic and chicken- cutting charges,” he said.

       Following that, he warned traders to comply with the maximum price scheme for chicken, set until June 30.

       He said that his enforcement personnel are carrying out inspections at chicken sales premises, and thus far, 10 retailers and 12 wholesalers had been issued with compounds for violating the rules. – Bernama