Veena Babulal
JOHOR BARU: The Bumiputera Retailers Association has urged the government to implement a ban on the export of eggs from now until Hari Raya Aidilfitri to curb shortages that are expected to prolong until the major celebration.
Its president, Datuk Ameer Ali Mydin, said based on his checks there were no shortages in terms of the supply of foodstuff in Malaysia, save for the staple.
"Any doubling in prices of fish and vegetables that are reported during (periods of continuous) rains or floods) are normal."
He, however, said that the case was not the same for eggs.
Ameer claimed that he disliked suggesting an export ban, which in regular circumstances would be arbitrary and spook investors. He alleged that there were cartels behind these shortages that had to be clipped.
He added that there was no point in continuing subsidies or increasing them for poultry farmers and wholesalers, and then allowing the export of eggs.
"They (government) can either increase the subsidy from 10 to 20 sen for the Grade A, B and C eggs priced between 47 sen and 41 sen and impose the ban, or they can remove the price control and allow it to float. Automatically, you will have eggs in the market.
"If there is a free float it would go up 10 sen, but that is better than being forced to buy Omega eggs at 65 sen an egg. If the price goes up, let it. (It is) better to have the staple than not having 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 festive celebrations from Christmas right up to Hari Raya.
"It is not just about the story of eggs (in isolation). The whole supply chain. All businesses are affected because of one item.
"So it is not just one problem, but it is a magnitude of problems."
Consumers and traders have been grappling with a shortage in egg supplies in waves beginning January last year.
Among the factors alleged by poultry farmers are the high cost of production, insufficient hands in broilers due to absence of migrant workers and subsidies that did not cover the cost of selling eggs in the market.
Former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced the ban in chicken exports by restricting the export of 3.6 million birds a month overseas to overcome domestic supply shortages and price surge issues.
The export ban had come after consumer groups urged a boycott of the staple and the association had called on the government to level the Emergency Ordinance on chicken suppliers that they claimed were deliberately surpressing supplies.
The ban on live broiler chicken export was lifted as of Oct 11, this year.
The government has also allocated around RM1.8 billion on chicken and egg subsidies from February this year.