By Zareef Muzammil
SHAH ALAM, April 16 — Chicken traders in Selangor are reminded not to increase the price unnecessarily before Hari Raya Aidilfitri to reduce the consumers’ burden.
State executive councillor for consumer affairs Mohd Zawawi Ahmad Mughni said he received complaints from several farmers who claimed that the price of chicken feed was expensive at the moment due to most of the ingredients being imported from abroad.
“Following the price hike, they have no choice but to increase the price of chicken (from the farm).
“I hope they will not increase it too high as it would burden the consumers,” he said when met after a dialogue session with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) at the Selangor State Secretariat Building, here yesterday.
Mohd Zawawi added he is also in contact with the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) to know the current chicken price set by the Federal government.
He said demand for chicken was very high throughout the Ramadan month and it is expected to increase further a few days before Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
“However, the setting of chicken prices comes under the jurisdiction of the Federal government,” he said.
Yesterday, the Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry announced that they would hold a meeting with KPDNHEP to discuss matters relating to chicken price including manufacturing cost, subsidy and ceiling price.
Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee said the 60 sen subsidy for each chicken given by the Federal government, was sufficient for this two-month period only.
