PETALING JAYA: Local egg farmers are facing losses due to high production costs and Mohamad Sabu has been urged to prioritise this issue as eggs and chicken are staples for Malaysians, says MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
Dr Wee also questioned the necessity of the Agriculture and Food Security Minister’s working visit to monitor the egg production process in India.
Dr Wee said Mohamad could have received a better perspective on the issue just by visiting the Ayer Hitam parliamentary constituency.
“In Yong Peng, there are more than 100 chicken farms and this is the most popular egg production area for the domestic market and Singapore, whereby millions of eggs are exported to our neighbouring country daily,” he said in a Facebook post.
According to Dr Wee, local eggs are being sold at RM0.41 per egg due to price control and many local farmers are dealing with losses as production costs are higher than the controlled prices.
“If facing a loss, farmers will no longer be poultry farming to produce eggs,” said Dr Wee.
“I find it strange that imported eggs from India are sold at RM0.50 per egg. If they are transported by ships, it will take three to four weeks for the eggs to reach from India,” he said.
“Are they still as fresh as local eggs?” the Ayer Hitam MP questioned.
Dr Wee said if local eggs are allowed to be sold at RM0.50 each, local farmers will be able to continue their businesses without suffering any losses.
According to Dr Wee, the B40 group can be financially relieved by “egg allowances” if local egg prices were to increase.
“Abang Mat, Indian eggs are sold at RM0.50 each. Please prioritise local farmers,” said Dr Wee, referring to Mohamad’s nickname.
“There is no need to import eggs from India if our supply is sufficient,” added Dr Wee.
Dr Wee also said that Mohamad’s ministerial portfolio is a crucial one and the egg issue must be handled with care.
“Eggs and chicken are staples for the people, regardless of their race or religion. Please prioritise this issue,” added Dr Wee.
Last week, it was reported that Mohamad was visiting an egg production farm in India.
In December last year, Mohamad said the government agreed to import eggs from several foreign sources as a short-term solution to meet domestic demand.
It was also reported that the first batch of imported eggs from India is being sold at 50 sen each.
