Friday October 26, 2012

Watch on feed prices

By YVONNE LIM, MOHD FARHAAN SHAH, CHERYL HEW and CAVINA LIM
newsdesk@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: Farmers are watching the global livestock feed prices and keeping their fingers crossed that they will continue to decline, said Federation of Livestock Farmers' Association broiler unit chairman Kwei Yew Tong.

“The prices seem to be going down, although very slowly, after reaching a peak during the initial days of the drought in the United States.

“We cannot tell for sure if it will continue to decline but we are hoping for the best,” said Kwei.

The Star reported yesterday that five million old layer hens had been culled in view of high stockfeed prices. This has caused a shortage of eggs and higher egg prices.

In PENANG, egg prices have increased by six sen in the past two weeks.

“There are times when chicken feed prices goes up, so naturally egg prices will go up too,” former Penang Farmers Association chairman Ng Yam Keng said.

“When such a thing happens, many farmers will stop rearing chickens but once egg prices go up, they will start rearing chickens again,” he said.

Ng said that he expected prices to stabilise in the coming weeks.

In IPOH, consumers are also facing a price increase.

Egg seller Soo Kim Guan, 44, said this was due to a shortage of eggs in the market.

“The price of ingredients for chicken feed, which are sourced from overseas such as soy powder, has increased.

“This has led to farmers rearing fewer chickens, thus creating a supply shortage,” he said.

Soo, who has been selling eggs at the Ipoh Central Market for 20 years, said the shortage was also due to the monsoon season.

“The weather is important as chickens are very sensitive and will not produce as many eggs when it is too hot or cold.

In NUSAJAYA, Johor Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Committee chairman Datuk Abdul Aziz Kaprawi said they were also keeping tabs on the global livestock feed problem.

“We will update consumers if there is a problem here. But I assure Johoreans that the price of eggs is still under control. Eggs are still available in the market.”

News

Friday October 26, 2012

Watch on feed prices

By YVONNE LIM, MOHD FARHAAN SHAH, CHERYL HEW and CAVINA LIM newsdesk@thestar.com.my

By YVONNE LIM, MOHD FARHAAN SHAH, CHERYL HEW and CAVINA LIM
newsdesk@thestar.com.my