Kota Kinabalu: Rising chicken and egg prices in Sabah are linked to soaring imported corn costs, prompting the State Government to accelerate plans for local corn cultivation in an effort to reduce dependence on foreign feed supplies.
State Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar said increasing global fuel prices, shipping costs and supply-chain disruptions, particularly in the Middle East, have sharply raised the price of imported corn, a key ingredient used in poultry feed production.
“Sabah currently produces only a small portion of its corn supply, with the majority imported from overseas.
“Local production accounts for only about 2pc of demand, leaving the livestock industry highly exposed to fluctuations in international commodity prices,” he said during the Ministry’s Kaamatan Festival celebration, Monday.
Jamawi said the price of corn has increased significantly over the past year, from around RM1,200-RM1,300 to approximately RM1,600-RM1,700 per tonne, driven largely by higher energy and transportation costs.
As feed costs rise, poultry farmers are forced to absorb higher production expenses, which eventually contribute to increases in chicken and egg prices at the consumer level.
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Jamawi clarified that chicken prices do not fall directly under his Ministry’s price-control authority, but acknowledged the impact on households and the higher cost of living.
In response, Sabah is now seeking to expand domestic corn cultivation as part of a broader strategy to strengthen feed security for the livestock sector.
Jamawi said the Ministry has begun identifying suitable agricultural land and encouraging investors to participate in large-scale corn farming projects.
“Our target is to develop at least 1,000 hectares of corn plantations within the next five years, with hopes of increasing Sabah’s self-sufficiency level (SSL) by around 20pc,” he said.
If larger cultivation areas can be achieved, Jamawi believes the State could significantly reduce costs faced by poultry producers while improving long-term food affordability.
