KUALA LUMPUR: The Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry is encouraging chicken breeders to feed their livestock with palm kernel waste rather than relying on imported chicken feed.
Its minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said the use of palm kernel waste as animal feed could lower chicken prices and stabilise the supply in the country.
"As we know, one of the reasons why chicken prices sometimes soar is due to the high price of chicken feed. It has been reported that chicken feed has gone up from RM500 per tonne to RM1,900 per tonne in some cases.
"As a result, chickens were being fed less, causing the livestock to grow slower than normal, and in the process restricting the supply of the birds.
"Malaysia imports most of its chicken feed, mostly made of grain like corn and soybean. These items are facing worldwide shortages due to the war in Ukraine and uncertain weather patterns.
"However, Malaysia's oil palm plantations produce huge supplies of palm kernel waste.
"Past research has shown that feeding fermented palm kernel cake (PKC) and high dietary fat to broilers can be a good substitute for the imported feed which almost all commercial chicken farms use today," she said in a statement.
At present, Zuraida said most of the country's PKC is exported for the European cattle industry.
However, she said the ministry will discuss with the relevant stakeholders to review the country's export policy in favour of local broilers.
"The ministry will also work with relevant agencies, government-linked companies and state governments to urgently look into how it can quickly ensure the availability of palm kernel waste as animal feed for the Malaysian poultry industry.
"Additionally, the ministry will also be working closely with research institutes, such as public universities to look into ways to enhance the quality of PKC to make it the preferred choice for chicken breeders.
"This includes ways of reducing the fibre content in the PKC," she said.
Chicken prices have been soaring since February, with several parts of the country currently facing severe supply shortages.
Additionally, the prices of grain corn and soybean - the two major ingredients in chicken feed - have also seen a sharp rise, since January.
The government, on Feb 5, set the ceiling price of standard chicken at RM8.90 per kg in Peninsular Malaysia, which will remain in effect until June 5.
Starting today, the government has also temporarily suspended the exports of 3.6 million chickens every month until prices and supply stabilise.