MELAKA, Feb 11 ― The government will continue to issue Approved Permits (AP) for local producers to import frozen whole chicken despite the subsidies given to poultry farmers, said Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Industries Datuk Seri Ahmad Hamzah.

He said the move was to address the issue of supply shortage and at the same time stabilise the prices in the market.

"We do not recommend producers to stop or reduce chicken imports because in the long run it will be detrimental and the exporting countries will certainly look for other sources.

"The companies involved have also signed a long-term agreement and they definitely cannot simply stop the supply,” he told reporters after handing over the animal feed supply contribution to the Melaka Zoo through the MAFI Prihatin programme in Ayer Keroh here today.

Also present was the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (Maqis) director-general Shamsul Akbar Sulaiman.

On February 9, the Cabinet agreed to provide subsidies for chicken and eggs to poultry farmers during the implementation of the Keluarga Malaysia Maximum Price Control Scheme (SKHKM) from February 5 to June 4.

Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee said farmers would receive a subsidy of 60 sen per kilogramme for live chickens and whole chickens, and five sen per egg from all categories.

He said this was to ease the burden of farmers following the increase in costs, especially for feed, which covers 70 per cent of production costs. ― Bernama