Business as usual: Haikal preparing a customer’s order at the Perling market in Johor Baru.
JOHOR BARU: Some consumers resorted to panic buying chicken in larger quantities even before the subsidies and price controls on poultry were discontinued on Nov 1.
Chicken seller Haikal Rafiee said the birds at his stall at the Perling market here were sold out by about 8am on Tuesday as customers rushed to stock up before the price was floated the next day.
“We usually finish selling our chickens at around 11am but on Tuesday, we finished selling about 200 chickens three hours earlier.
“Many customers bought three to four birds from their usual one or two as they were worried that there might be a hike in the price of chickens after the government starts floating the price on Nov 1,” he said when interviewed.
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Haikal, 26, said there was no need to worry or panic buy as he is still selling standard chicken at RM9 per kg, which is lower than the previous ceiling price of RM9.40.
Standard chicken refers to those with heads, feet and internal organs, while super chicken is those without heads, feet and internal organs.
Another poultry seller at the Johor Jaya market, Foo Dek Seng, maintained the price of her super chicken at RM11 per kg.
“I sell mostly hens, which are said to be tastier as the flesh is more succulent.
“Although the previous ceiling price of super chicken set by the government was RM10.40 per kg, my customers can accept my price because we clean the birds very well,” said the 65-year-old.
She added that the prices of chicken were determined by the suppliers and she would maintain her prices if there were no changes at the source.
Retiree Calvin Lee, 62, was happy to find that the mini market near his house in Taman Gaya maintained the price of poultry at RM8.50 per kg.
“It is a good move for the government to lift the subsidies and channel the funds elsewhere to develop the country, but I hope that they will continue monitoring the situation to prevent the prices from skyrocketing in the weeks to come.
“Government agencies should also heavily promote the consumer affairs hotline for people to report profiteering to prevent unscrupulous sellers from hiking up the price of chicken unnecessarily,” he added.
Freelance videographer Mohd Ali Yunus, 32, said he was not against the government’s move to implement more targeted subsidies but was worried that eateries would use the floating of chicken prices as an excuse to increase their prices.
“I heard that some ayam penyet sellers started to increase their price by RM1 two weeks ago, even before the lifting of the chicken subsidy was announced by the government.
“The people are already financially pressed with everything being so expensive these days,” he added.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu reportedly said the decision to lift the chicken subsidy from Nov 1 was to reduce the leakage of subsidies that have been enjoyed by foreigners and high-income groups.
He also said the move took into account the current trend of supply and prices, which have started to stabilise.
