KLANG: The Agriculture and Food Securities Ministry has given an assurance that there will be a sufficient supply of raw chicken during festive seasons until next year.
Its Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said the ministry is prepared to ensure there is a sufficient supply for the next two festive seasons, namely Christmas (from Monday) and the Chinese New Year (February 2024).
"During Christmas celebration, there is less (demand). During the Chinese New Year and the Ramadan month, there is a need to ensure sufficient food supply. Insya-Allah, the supply of chicken will always be sufficient,” he told a media conference after officiating the launch of the 2023 Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) National Convention here on Saturday (Dec 23).
Meanwhile, asked about the five poultry feed manufacturers hit with a penalty after being found guilty of forming a price-fixing cartel for poultry feed, Mohamad said the issue of price manipulation comes under Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry.
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However, he said the the ministry would always work closely in tackling food security problems to ensure issues of manipulation and food supply for the needs of the people are handled in the best possible manner.
On Friday (Dec 22), the Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC), in its decision, said the five poultry feed manufacturers infringed Section 4 (1) of the Competition Act 2010 (Act 712) by making a horizontal or vertical agreement between enterprises with the objective of significantly preventing, restricting or distorting competition in any market for goods or service.
The five manufacturers were also found guilty of conspiring to raise the price of poultry feed through various platforms, including linking communication records with the top management, meeting notes and witness statements between January 2020 and June 2022. - Bernama
