Chicken shortage leads to price adjustment ranging from RM9 to RM9.28

ALOR SETAR - The recent shortage in chicken supply has led to necessary increase of chicken prices in the market, ranging from RM9 to RM9.28.

Chicken supplier and farmer, Mazlina Kamarudin said the price adjustment is necessary to cover operational costs and prevent losses for poultry farmers.

"We are not increasing chicken prices arbitrarily; we have to take this step to stop continuous losses that could eventually lead to farm closures.

However, I believe this price is still relevant and does not exceed the government's set ceiling price of RM9.40," she said during an interview in Alor Setar today.

Mazlina, who is the Managing Director of Bismi Empire said chicken prices were lower previously due to an abundance of chickens after the Hari Raya Aidiladha festival.

"After the Eid al-Adha celebrations, there was a relatively slow demand for raw chicken, leading farms to decide to lower prices to manage the surplus.

"So, farmers offered lower prices to quickly clear out their farms," she said.

Mazlina, who manages 18 chicken farms, said that the price decrease was a loss that farmers had to bear.

"If we leave these chickens on the farms, the loss would be greater because they need to be fed every day and as the chickens grow, it becomes difficult to sell them, leading to overcrowding in the farms," she added.

Meanwhile, chicken vendor Wan Mohamad Afiq Wan Ahmad Fauzi, 26, operating at bustling Alor Setar Central Market said despite the price hike, the chicken sales remain unaffected.

"I am selling at RM9 per kilogramme. While the profit margin is not high, I do it out of compassion for our customers who might be affected by the increase in prices," he said.

"Not many people are actually complaining about the chicken prices. Sometimes, regulars may enquire," he said.