MUAR, March 7 — The chicken and egg supply this week has dropped by 2.7 per cent from last week’s figure while the market supply is still stable and sufficient currently, says Agriculture and Food Industries Deputy Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Hamzah.

He said this week’s supply was expected to be 14.4 million chickens and 243.9 million eggs.

"Actually, the chicken and egg supply issue could be seasonal. From February to March, there has been a downward trend, but it will rise again,” he said after a working visit to the Johor State Young Agropreneurs Programme 2022 held at the South Muar Area Farmers Organisation (PPK) Complex, here, today.

On the Young Agropreneur Programme, Ahmad said the ministry had targeted the creation of 750 young agropreneurs this year through an allocation of RM15 million.

Last year, in Johor alone, 58 agropreneurs had received approval for the Young Agropreneur Grant (GAM) involving a sum of RM1.15 million. From the number, 10 agropreneurs from Muar district received the grant amounting to RM200,000.

The Young Agropreneur Programme was introduced in 2016 for the 18-40 age group to support and encourage the involvement of young people in the agrofood sector such as crop cultivation, livestock breeding, fishery and agro-based industry. — Bernama