KOTA BARU: The government will spend more than RM20 million a month on subsidies to stablise the supply of eggs in the country.
Special Task Force on Jihad Against Inflation chairman Tan Sri Annuar Musa said the move was the address the shortage of eggs reported in several states, including on the east coast.
"The government is really concerned about the egg shortage. Therefore, we decided to increase the subsidy for eggs.
"For the purpose, a subsidy of more than RM20 million will be spent a month," he told reporters here today.
Annuar said the average cost of producing an egg was 51 sen but the ceiling price was at 41 sen.
"The government had initially agreed to provide a subsidy of 3 sen per egg.
"This is still far from the actual cost of production and the subsidy has been increased by 5 sen, but there is still a shortfall of 2 sen," he said.
Annuar said egg producers were not keen on producing Grade A, B and C chicken eggs.
He hoped the subsidies would prompt egg producers to begin production as soon as possible to stabilise supply.
Annuar said all border agencies were told to prevent eggs and other subsidised items from being smuggled across the border.