Malaysia has announced a partial lift on its ban on chicken exports on Tuesday, with Singapore's leading poultry producers permitted to import live kampung and black chickens from across the Johor Causeway.
The ban was imposed on the export of 3.6 million chickens a month from June 1 until domestic prices and production stabilized. After a Cabinet decision on June 8, the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) announced the partial lift, The Straits Times reported.
As per the official announcement by DVS, the ban on commercial broiler chicken will not be lifted and only exports of poultry products such as nuggets or hotdogs will be resumed from Wednesday, in restaurants and wet markets.
The Kee Song Food Corporation and the Hup Heng Poultry Industries were the two poultry producers allowed to resume their services.
In the days leading up to the ban and after, chickens were in high demand in Singapore, which is majorly dependent on Malaysia for about 34 per cent of its chicken supply. The rising prices and supply shortages led to the temporary shut-down of several chicken rice stalls across the city-state.
Ma Chin Chew, CEO of Hup Heng Poultry Industries, was relieved with the decision of the Malaysian authorities but is skeptical on the availability of the kampung and black chickens.
According to CNA, in a day, the Hup Heng Poultry Industries, used to import around 100,000 to 120,000 broiler chickens with 5,000 to 10,000 black chickens and 30,000 to 40,000 kampung chickens.
In case of Kee Song, the head of business development James Sim stated that the poultry producer has already started accepting orders from wet market sellers, chicken rice hawkers and restaurants, for fresh kampung and black chicken.
At Kee Song Food, kampung chicken makes up about 25 per cent to 30 per cent of the overall chicken supply, with Black chicken about 3 per cent to 5 per cent. Commenting on the limited supply of kampung and black chickens, Sim said that the situation completely depends on what is available at the farms.
