PUTRAJAYA: The supply of chickens in the country will not be disrupted despite the impending two-day temporary closure of a chicken farm in Jasin, Melaka this weekend.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said they have received an explanation letter from the company which operates the chicken farm.

"Their explanation does not appear to indicate there is a cartel behind it with the intention of profiteering. They have also made it clear that their closure was not a step to undermine the government, the industry, or done with bad intentions.

"The reason why the company wants to temporarily close the chicken farm was because there was delayed growth of its chickens which was recorded at 1.1 kilogramme per chicken instead of the average selling weight of 1.8 kilogramme. 

"As the weight of the chickens has not reached the standard of 1.8 kilogramme and are too small to be sold to the consumer market, they want to refrain from selling it as it would pose a problem.

"This move is also to protect the company's reputation," he said in a press conference after launching the Malaysia Controlled Items and Subsidised Items Logos today.

Nanta added that only one company was involved with the closure, which may have faced problems with the quality of chicken feed which led to the delayed growth of its chickens.

He added that a special task force from the Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) was in the midst of investigating issues related to the chicken industry under Section 4 of the Competition Act 2020.

"The in-depth probe will take a little more time to complete. The results will then be presented to me and the government. Hopefully, by July, there will be a conclusion which will also recommend measures to overcome the problems. It will also be shared with the public," he said.

He said as the issue of chickens became a hot topic during the festivities, the government, through the National Action Council on Cost of Living, had on Feb 1 this year, ordered MyCC to form the task force.

The Federation of Livestock Farmers Association of Malaysia had denied allegations that a group of chicken breeders were planning to shut down operations in protest of the government's delay in subsiding chicken prices.

Bernama reported association farmer advisor Datuk Jeffrey Ng saying such action, if true, was considered personal and breeders would bear all the risks themselves.

Ng had said it was common practice among any company or poultry producer in the country to close operations according to their needs, adding that the association never advised its members to stop operations unless there were specific reasons such as lack of employees or other company issues.