THE Agriculture and Fisheries Ministry has reassured consumers that egg supply in Sabah remains stable and sufficient.
Its Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey G. Kitingan said his Ministry, through the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS), recently monitored the operations of chicken farms, particularly major chicken egg farms, in Sabah.
He said the majority of the farms have no problem meeting the demands of consumers in Sabah.
“In other words, chicken egg supply in Sabah remains stable, and the number of eggs produced remains the same as previously. The Government also has imposed strict pricing control on the product,” he said in a statement.
Kitingan pointed out that there may be an increase in demand for chicken eggs since they are the cheapest protein source.
“This could explain why some consumers report difficulty purchasing the product in some places in the State,” he said. Kitingan said his Ministry is looking for measures to help the private sector meet rising demand while also reducing the price of other protein sources, particularly chicken meat and pork.
“The problem is, while the pricing of chicken and pork are determined by the Sabah Ministry, we must still follow guidelines set by the DVS at the federal level, such as accepting only goods produced by abattoirs recognised by the federal DVS. To address this issue, I have recommended the formation of a special task force on food security. We must find ways to reduce food imports by increasing local production, not just chicken or pork, but also rice and wheat,” he said.
Additionally, Jeffrey said they should demand for devolution of power of the federal DVS to Sabah DVS so that Sabah can decide on its own and expand their list of acceptable overseas abattoirs to supplement our locally produced chicken and pork meat.
“I believe by doing so, we can alleviate the problem of rising food prices and ease the burden of the people,” he said.
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