KOTA KINABALU, Oct 9 — Sabah will seek to be exempt from the federal government’s plan to end chicken egg subsidies, said the state’s Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan.

The deputy chief minister said that Sabah, as one of the poorest states in the country, still needs the subsidies, and they will request to be exempt in the same way they were exempt from the diesel subsidy rationalisation.

"It is not fair for our subsidies to be cut, especially since we contribute a lot to the nation’s economy,” he said to reporters today.

He was asked to comment on the recent announcement by the federal Agriculture and Food Security Ministry that it was reviewing the subsidy for A, B and C grade chicken eggs to save RM100 million a month.

Kitingan also said that the state government’s plan was to help its farmers and food producers start producing more.

"We should get ready to increase production and our capabilities, so we are not trapped in the poverty cycle, especially those who own their own land. We will help in terms of infrastructure, seeds, marketing and so on.

In a related development, he said the state was hoping for more from the upcoming Budget 2025 in order for the state to run its planned programmes and activities to boost the economy.

Kitingan cited the state government’s recent revival of the Sabah Rice Board, aimed at improving irrigation and increasing padi yields, among other enhancements.

"We need a bigger budget to make a real impact. If the funding remains unchanged, we won’t be able to introduce the necessary improvements,” he said.

He also recommended establishing additional agricultural marketing authorities to improve support for local farmers and expanding collection centres for agricultural produce.