Hike in egg prices

> Increase to offset higher production cost

PETALING JAYA: The recent increase in the price of chicken eggs is unavoidable as farmers need to cope with the increased cost of production, said Federation of Livestock Farmers Associations of Malaysia president Datuk Jeffrey Ng.

“If you ask me whether the increase is serious, it is not. It is a natural thing,” he told theSun when contacted.

Ng said the public should also refrain from pointing fingers at farmers, but instead understand the plight of egg producers whenever there is a price increase.

He said some farms have been backed into a corner as they could not even afford to buy animal feed for their chickens.

Ng added that smaller farms were facing the possibility of closing down operation.

“They (farms) will not be able to survive if prices are not revised. If every consumer expects the price to always remain low, one day all the farms would have to shut down,” he said.

He also reminded consumers not to panic with the increase and assured consumers there were no shortages of eggs in the market.

Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations deputy president Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman said consumers could resort to other alternatives if they think the hike is too much.

“The government could also play a role in this issue in ensuring there is a balance in supply and demand.

“In the case of chickens, we will usually import the product from other countries. Maybe we can adopt the same strategy when it comes to eggs,” he said.

Checks conducted by theSun here had found that the price of eggs in the market had increased by about 2 sen each.

An egg seller in Petaling Jaya Old Town wet market said the increase differed according to the grade of the eggs.

The seller, who did not want to be named, said for instance, the price for a tray of 30 Grade A eggs was now tagged at RM11.10 from the previous RM10.50, while a carton of Grade B eggs was selling at RM10.80, up 60 sen.