What about us, chicken breeders say after Rafizi's remarks on cutting down

Poultry breeders have urged Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli to understand the challenges they face, describing his remarks that customers should reduce their consumption of chicken as taking the easy way out. 

Mazlina Kamarudin, managing director of Bismi Empire Sdn Bhd, said farmers were struggling with cost and salary issues which in turn affected their cash flow. 

"What he said may have been true, but I am disappointed that the government did not invite the local breeders for talks to find out what our troubles are," she said to MalaysiaNow. 

She added that calls for people to cut down on their chicken consumption would cause demand to fall, affecting the breeders who would sustain losses as chickens are considered highly perishable. 

She also said that many breeders had yet to receive subsidies from the government, and were burdened by the decision to raise the minimum salary level to RM1,500. 

Rafizi was reported as saying on Dec 23 that consumers appeared willing to pay the prices set by suppliers even though these continued to rise. 

"By right, when the price of chicken increases, people should avoid buying chicken," he said at a press conference.

He later said on Twitter that he had been referring to "the need to address the supply and demand side so that a more elastic consumer demand becomes a force to reckon with in influencing the price of goods".

Malaysia has the highest chicken consumption rate in Asia and one of the highest in the world, with an annual per capita consumption of about 46.8kg. 

Chicken is a primary source of protein for many in the country, apart from eggs and fish. 

Mazlina said the cost of chicks used to hover around RM1.50 each but had now increased to RM3.

The price of bran for feed meanwhile has also increased since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

"Why not ask the integrators and chick producers to sell chicks at a cheaper price?" she asked. 

In April, the price of chicken hit RM10 per kg. Two months later, the government suspended exports of chicken as part of efforts to stabilise prices. 

An entrepreneur who asked to remain anonymous said Rafizi's statement could be seen as sabotaging the chicken farming industry. 

Speaking to MalaysiaNow, he said the economy minister should instead investigate why the price of chicken had risen so much. 

"Are there middlemen looking to make a quick buck, and is bran being monopolised by big companies?" he added. 

Mazlina meanwhile said there was still no clear direction from the government about the chicken industry. 

"Will there be more price controls next year? We are already taking on losses with the current ceiling price of RM9.40 per kg," she said, adding that the government should impose a floor price as well, in the interest of fair play.