PUTRAJAYA, April 20 — Higher animal feed cost due to the global rise in the price of soya and corn meal “is beyond our control”, said Agriculture and Food Industries Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee, today.
He said prices have risen since four months ago and the reality is that the country is dependent on imported animal feed.
“We don’t produce enough corn to use as animal feed. If it is imported we can’t control the price,” he told reporters after giving out bubur lambuk at his ministry.
The media recently reported that chicken prices have skyrocketed and among the causes was soya and corn meal that comes mostly from Argentina and Brazil.
However, starting tomorrow (April 21) until May 20, the ceiling price for a standard chicken has been set at RM7.90 per kg under the the Festive Season Maximum Price Scheme (SHMMP) for Hari Raya Puasa 2021, said Kiandee.
On the failure of the National Farmers’ Organisation (Nafas) to provide certified rice seeds to Kedah farmers, he said that it wasn’t due to an insufficiency of seeds but a shortage of the variety they want.
He said efforts are underway to provide a different variety and that the issue won’t disrupt planting season.
He is confident Nafas is taking steps to solve the problem being faced by the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) farmers.
