Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg

Malaysia’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Industries Ronald Kiandee said on Aug. 4 that the export ban on chickens is set to end on Aug. 31, according to Reuters.

His response was to Kluang MP Wong Shu Qi, who is part of the opposition, in parliament.

Wong called the decision to ban exports a wrong move, and said it had caused Singapore to diversify its food sources and import chicken from other countries.

“We have lost a market. So no matter whether we reopen or allow exports again, we have lost a customer,” Wong said, according to CNA.

Kiandee said as part of his response: “This intervention is temporary, and is scheduled to end on Aug. 31 at this point,”

He reiterated that the ban was temporary and that other countries also imposed protectionist measures in the face of food supply shortages.

“When conditions are stable all over the country, not just oversupply in a few locations, but all across the country, of course the government will decide to allow exports,” he said.

Background

Chicken breeders in Malaysia are on the brink of shutting down because of the export ban, The Straits Times reported, with many in the industry calling for measures to be lifted immediately as Aug. 31 is still weeks away.

Earlier on Aug. 1, Kiandee said Malaysia is now in an oversupply situation and can export chickens to other countries.

The Malaysian government had earlier banned the export of up to 3.6 million chickens from June 1 to stabilise the local market.

In response to the export ban, Singapore turned to Indonesia and Thailand, among other places, to buy chicken.

In response to this turn of events, chicken farmers in Malaysia already said in early July they were scared they will lose access to the Singapore market for good if the Malaysia government did not reverse the June 1 chicken export ban soon.

Top photo via Unsplash