Live pig price increased 5 times in 5 months; Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Butchers Association hopes the government will control the price

(Kuala Lumpur, 5th) The price of live pork has increased 5 times in 5 months since January this year, from RM700 per 100 kg to RM1,140. Pig farmers have also predicted that there will be a 6th wave of price increase in the next two weeks. The Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Butchers Association held a press conference to call on the government to intervene and stabilize the price to prevent further increases.

Lee Bing Fook, chairman of the Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Butchers Association, said that the price of live pigs has increased from RM700 per 100 kg at the beginning of the year to RM1,140 per 100 kg after 5 price increases.

He said that pig farmers have also predicted that the price will continue to increase in the future, and prayed that the price can be stabilized to give consumers a break.

He pointed out that although his association has sought to negotiate with pig farmers on this matter many times, it has been to no avail.

“The butchers regret that the government has ignored public opinion and has no solution. In the current inflation storm, all industries in the private sector, including the cooked food industry, are complaining bitterly. ”

He accused the Ministry of Agriculture of not caring about agricultural development at all, especially the situation of supply exceeding demand, and imports are even more difficult to extinguish the nearby fire, causing the above-mentioned live pig prices to rise steadily.

Lee Bing Fook said this when he held a press conference at Xing Ji Bak Kut Teh on Kepong Street today, accompanied by members of the Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Butchers Association.

He mentioned that among food, clothing, housing and transportation, food ranks in an important position in our country, especially pork is an indispensable ingredient in the Chinese catering industry.

“Compared with other Southeast Asian countries, the price of live pigs in Malaysia can be said to have reached an ‘outrageous’ level! ”

He pointed out that the reason for the repeated price increases of live pigs is that the supply is insufficient to meet the demand. Nowadays, vendors can’t buy goods even if they have money, and their burden has increased a lot.

He said that the COVID-19 epidemic has been burning for two years. Pig farmers reduced the number of pigs raised at that time to cope with the sharp drop in sales. Now that the epidemic has entered the recovery stage, pig farmers have no time to increase production, resulting in an imbalance between supply and demand.

Secondly, he pointed out that some state governments no longer issue pig farming licenses, such as Negeri Sembilan and Malacca are also facing similar situations.

“Now only Perak can supply the pig demand of the whole Malaysia, which is as high as more than 80%. The rest comes from some small pig farmers in Seberang Perai, Penang. There are less than 40 small-scale pig farmers in Selangor, distributed in Tanjong Sepat or Rawang, etc., which are not enough to supply the Klang Valley area. ”

“Negeri Sembilan used to be the largest pig-raising state in Malaysia, with a peak of 800,000 pigs, which were sold domestically and to neighboring Singapore, bringing in considerable foreign exchange. Since the state government stopped issuing licenses, Malaysia's pig production has been seriously affected. ”

Therefore, in addition to hoping that the government will intervene to control pig prices, it is also expected that the government will open up the original pig-raising areas in each state to increase domestic pig production and make up for supply and demand.

He mentioned that although there was a ceiling price limit during the Chinese New Year, there was no limit after that, which also led to an increase in pig prices.

He added that the third reason is that the cost of feed and other costs have all increased.

He said that pig farmers predict that there will be a sixth wave of price increases. Although it is unclear how much it will increase, it is likely to occur in two weeks because it will be close to the Dragon Boat Festival.

Live pig prices are at their highest ever, catering businesses are adjusting prices accordingly

Pig farmers have been raising the price of live pigs to the highest level ever, and pork-related catering businesses are helpless and can only adjust prices accordingly.

Feng Zhiyong, the owner of Xing Ji Bak Kut Teh on Kepong Street, appeared at a press conference held by the Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Butchers Association today and said that due to the continuous increase in live pig prices, he adjusted the prices once in March and May this year. This is the first time he has adjusted prices twice in the same year since he started working.

He said that the last price increase before this year's price adjustment was two years ago, and he would never adjust the price unless it was absolutely necessary.

He also claimed that the current live pig price is the highest ever.

He said that the original price of Bak Kut Teh per person was RM15, and after two increases of RM1 each this year, the price is now RM17 per person.

“Although customers complained that the price had become more expensive and we explained it, there were still fewer customers. If the price was raised, the number of customers would decrease even more. ”

Member Ji Liang, who attended the press conference held by the Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Butchers Association today, said that the retail price of pork in the market has risen by RM2.

Other attendees included the personal assistant and translator of the chairman of the Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Butchers Association, and Lee Bingfu's son Lee Zhaoheng.

Lim Lip Eng: The government ignored the rising pork prices

Pork prices have risen again and again. Lim Lip Eng, chairman of the National Public Complaints Bureau of the Democratic Action Party, said that in fact, as early as January this year, he brought the matter to Parliament and asked the government to find a way to prevent the price from continuing to rise.

“At that time in Parliament, the relevant minister did not respond to me. From January this year to now, the price of live pigs per 100 kilograms has increased by more than 60%. From eggs to pork, everything has increased in price, but the 'backdoor government' has turned a blind eye and is indifferent to the people's dire lives, which is enough to prove that the current government has failed. No cabinet minister has said a word about the issue of inflation and the rise in prices of everything. ”

References to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri's announcement that he will lead a delegation of cabinet ministers to visit the United States, Lim Lip Eng, who is also the DAP Kepong MP, directly criticized that the prime minister and ministers might as well stay in the country to solve the big issue of rising living costs for the people.

He added that he will continue to write to the relevant ministers, hoping to get attention on the issue of rising live pig prices. Not only to get a response, but also to ask the government to hold talks with the Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Butchers Association and the butchers associations in each state.

The Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Butchers Association held a press conference today in response to the rising pork prices. In addition to Lim Lip Eng, the attendees also included Lim Chin Haw, deputy director of the Federal Territory Public Service and Complaints Bureau of the DAP and head of the Hot Water Lake New Village, and Su Jinfa, the MP for Kepong.

News from: https://www.orientaldaily.com.my/news/central/2022/05/05/484523