GEORGE TOWN: The government needs a long-term plan to address the chicken shortage rather than relying on imported frozen chicken.
Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP) president Mohideen Abdul Kader said it does not make sense why the government must consider importing frozen chicken when it was supposed to identify and develop long-term solutions as the country was in dire need to improve its food security.
He said the government should instead focus on ways to reduce production costs.
"CAP is shocked by Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar's announcement that the ministry was currently trying to import frozen chicken to ensure sufficient chicken supply in the country.
"Such a move will destroy the local poultry farming industry if the imported chicken is indeed cheaper.
"Chicken farmers may find it even more challenging to survive in such an environment and they may have to cease operations.
"When that happens, Malaysia will become dependent on imported frozen chicken," he said today.
Noh reportedly said last Friday that the ministry was currently trying to import frozen chicken to ensure sufficient chicken supply in the country.
He had said that the initiative through the ministry's cooperative shops or Coopmart, to bring imported frozen chickens was expected to take off in September at a lower price.
Mohideen said the government should focus on ways to reduce production costs.
In fact, he added, there had been much research conducted by local universities on animal feed using oil palm waste for many years.
It is claimed that feed costs take up about 70 per cent of the production costs of chicken and eggs.
"Then, the government should turn to academics and industry experts to identify how they can contribute to solving the problem.
"The Selangor state government announced that it would be adopting a new method researched by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia two years ago to provide alternative animal feed production. It was said to lower chicken feed production cost to 70 sen compared to the current RM1.70. This would mean a cost reduction of about 60 per cent.
"The method for feed production has been implemented in Kedah.
"As such, it does not make sense why the government must consider importing frozen chicken when it is supposed to identify and develop long-term solutions since the country is in dire need to improve its food security," he added.