KUALA LUMPUR: The government will be floating the prices of chicken and eggs from July 1 after the removal of subsidies by the end of the month.

Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said in a written reply that the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) would then evaluate and control the price of the items compared to the current retail ceiling price.

"KPKM will implement soft landing mechanisms to ensure that the supply of chicken and eggs can be stabilised after the subsidy ends," he said.

Among the mechanisms are abolishing the ban on the export of live broiler chickens except Day Old Chick (DOC), round chickens and chicken cuts from July 1 July to enable farmers to earn income from the export market and help cash flow into the country.

The government will also allow imports of poultry and eggs from various recognised source countries including Thailand, China, Brazil and Denmark.

Imports of eggs will only be from Thailand and Ukraine, he said.

The government will also continue the round chicken stockpile programme under the Board of Farmers' Organisations (LPP).

He said that as of May 7 this year, 63 per cent of the target of 2,177 metric tonnes had been stored.

"We will also continue the Madani Agro Sales Programme by the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) to market various agricultural products including eggs, with prices which are five to 10 percent lower than the local bazaar, especially in low-income housing areas.

"As of May 8, a total of 28,078,620 eggs have been distributed through 369 Fama outlets," he said.

He was responding to a question from Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (PN-Masjid Tanah) who questioned whether the ministry had conducted a comprehensive study of the impact of the policy change.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2023/06/917719/chicken-eggs-prices-be-floated-july-1