ISKANDAR PUTERI, Dec 7 — Johor is not suffering a critical shortage in chicken eggs compared to the rest of the country, state Agriculture, Agro-Based Industry and Rural Development Committee chairman Datuk Zahari Sarip said today.

He also said there has not been a drop in production, instead attributing the shortage to an increase in demand from other states and in Singapore.

"On the egg issue, Johor is not actually facing a critical shortage. The supply is indeed low, but not at a critical stage as Johor is one of the large egg producers.

"We only know that most are being exported to Singapore, and other states such as Melaka and Negri Sembilan, which is the reason for the shortage,” he said at the state assembly here.

He also said Johor is not suffering any supply problems in terms of seafood or produce despite the monsoon season that started last month which cut their revenue.

The Buluh Kasap assemblyman said the Malaysian Fisheries Development Board and the agribusiness association have given an assurance of sufficient availability of stock.

But he admitted to a drop in the catch from the sea, which he attributed to fewer fishermen going out to sea during the monsoon season.

"The same situation affects agricultural products such as vegetables, where there are some agricultural areas affected by heavy rain, but it does not affect the supply and demand at the moment,” he added.