KUCHING: The State government will consider providing additional subsidies to poultry farmers in the state, said Agriculture Modernisation and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi.
“However, the quantum shall be determined once we get more details from the industry players.
“In addition to this, we will also consider special electricity rates for the farmers during this Covid-19 period, (so that it can aid them in) reducing their operating cost,” he said.
He said this when contacted by the New Sarawak Tribune on Monday after poultry farmers had appealed to the state government to subsidise the industry further because of increasing production costs.
Rundi said the state government is aware of increasing production costs issues involving the production of poultry and eggs as well as issues over the fixed ceiling price announced by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP).
“In light of this, we will also be engaging with the Labour and Immigration Departments as well as related agencies to look for ways to enable foreign workers to come in and work in the industry,” he added.
KPDNHEP Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi had earlier expressed hope that the state government could step in and provide sufficient subsidies to stabilise the chicken and egg market.
He stated that the initiative (of providing additional subsidies for the industry) would complement the subsidy provided by the federal government recently to alleviate production costs.
