Resolve chicken eggs shortage immediately

The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) urged the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) to resolve the supply shortage of chicken eggs immediately.

“Most of the grocers and public markets claimed that it has been difficult for them to get the supply since two weeks ago, thus, creating concern on the supply shortage in the future. Chicken eggs are the cheapest source of protein in the market.

According to news reports, egg producers had opted to slaughter their egg layers before reaching maturity, resulting in an egg shortage.

The Special Task Force on Jihad Against Inflation has recently identified the high cost of chicken feed as being responsible for the chicken egg supply shortage. Why didn’t they consult chicken farmers earlier and take remedial action?

If chicken farmers had given feedback, did the Task Force discuss with local feed producers on how to produce cheaper feed using palm kernel waste since the cost of feed is the main issue of contention? There have been ample studies on palm kernel cake as an animal feed ingredient since the 1980s.

Selangor announced that it was going to adopt the method of providing an alternative animal feed production based on research by the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia two years ago. The technique has been implemented in Kedah and was found to have significantly reduced the cost of the feed.

CAP survey found that chicken eggs are still available at the public markets and grocery stores around Gelugor, Bayan Baru, Jelutong, and Batu Lanchang. However, the grocers claimed that it is tough for them to get their supply as the quantity they got from the wholesalers is lesser than the traders at the markets.

Mohideen Abdul Kader
President
Consumers Association of Penang (CAP)

Press Statement, 8 November 2022