JOHOR BARU: The government won't impose an export ban on eggs despite a shortage, said Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub today.
The government also allocated RM1.8 billion to chicken and egg subsidies from February last year up to late last year.
He said the ministry had learnt the adverse effects of implementing a ban, as seen in the six-month ban of chicken exports to Singapore, which was lifted on Oct 11.
"We learnt from past lessons. This time, it is our duty as the ministry to ensure there is enough supply of eggs," Salahuddin said after opening a calligraphy competition at Paradigm Mall here.
He said the government was holding engagements with stakeholders, such as poultry farmers, to ensure that the supply chain recovered with the deployment of migrant workers to the industry as the authorities had eased the rules on foreign worker recruitment.
Salahuddin however said egg supplies were 112 per cent short of the regular availability in the market.
He was responding to questions on whether the move would be considered as the three-month recovery period for the supply of eggs to stabilise was likely to overlap with the fasting month and Hari Raya.
He recently said it would take three months for the egg shortage to end.
Last month, Bumiputera Retailers Association president Datuk Ameer Ali Mydin urged the government to implement a ban on the export of eggs from now to Hari Raya Aidilfitri to curb shortages that were expected to last until the festive period.
He said he had been forced to suggest this move as there were cartels behind these shortages that had to be clipped.
Ameer said there was no point in continuing subsidies or increasing them for poultry farmers and wholesalers, and then allowing the export of eggs.
He said the issue was not only limited to eggs as it affected the food and beverage industry and had a ripple effect on everything, from bakeries to homegrown businesses that supplied kuih and cakes, and affected festivities from Christmas to Hari Raya.
