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KOTA KINABALU – Lower pork production and increased retail prices are due to the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak and costlier livestock feed, said Sabah Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan.
To compensate for the pork supply here, the state ministry has temporarily allowed the import of pork products from Denmark and France.
“The (state) ministry has approved a licence to a local importer to import 28,000kg of pork belly from France, and we have also approved licences to import 241,635kg of chilled pork and other pork products from Spain, Singapore, China, Denmark and France.”
He said as of March this year, the ministry through the Veterinary Services Department (DVS) reported that the ASF had led to the death of 3,259 backyard pigs, 199 wild boars and 5,534 commercial animals.
“These do not include unreported ASF infections. Therefore, I urge owners of backyard and commercial pigs to cooperate with the ministry by reporting any deaths that occur on their farms.
“The ministry also advises against selling or transporting live pigs, whether they are from ASF-afflicted districts. All live pigs must be quarantined on site,” he said in a statement today.
He added that culling processes must adhere to the guidelines set by DVS and the department must be notified for monitoring and recording purposes.
However, the pork supply issue is made worse by rising livestock feed prices globally, prompting industry stakeholders to reduce production.
The prices of animal feed have climbed up to 40% between last August and May this year.
Corn, for example, has risen by 40%, from RM1,500 per metric tonne last August to RM2,100 per metric tonne in May.
“Farmers have complained about the high production costs. Some even chose to discontinue operations entirely. If the prices of animal feed in the global market continue to rise, I am concerned about the long-term impact on local food security,” said Jeffrey.
He added that his ministry is currently working to increase the number of approved overseas slaughterhouses, allowing more meat, including chicken, to be imported into Sabah to address supply gaps.
Two DAP lawmakers had called for the government to assist pig farmers as they struggle with lower production as a result of higher operation costs, which leads to higher retail prices.
The Sabah Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs office said it is aware of the rising prices of pork in Sabah, noting that it is one of the 480 items under its watch.
Its director Georgie Abas added that the surge in price is for the supply of local live pigs. – The Vibes, May 8, 2022
