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SERDANG – The Statistics Department (DoSM) and the Veterinary Services Department (VSD) have been tasked with collecting data related to the chicken supply to ensure food safety control is managed in an orderly manner, said Special Task Force on Jihad Against Inflation chairman Tan Sri Annuar Musa.
DoSM would need to prepare a monthly Chicken Production Cost Index, where the figure will be used as a benchmark to determine fair pricing at the retail and sales levels, he told a media conference here today after chairing the 10th series of the special task force meeting.
Meanwhile, the VSD has been given a week to propose a pattern of data management on chicken production and chicken imports, besides having the latest data on import permit records to track the total amount of chicken imports.
“Without clear data, the issue of food safety cannot be managed comprehensively,” he said, adding that this was to prevent the government from adopting ad hoc measures and flip-flopping on policies.
Annuar said the policy on the import and export of whole chickens, including the price of cooking oil set for now, would be maintained and not changed until both departments have mastered data management in a more organised manner.
“This model (on data management) can be expanded to other food items to ensure a more orderly food safety control based on more structured management,” he said. – Bernama, August 11, 2022
