KOTA KINABALU – Sabah’s pork and live pigs supply are slowly recovering from the devastating impacts of the African swine flu (ASF) outbreak in February 2021.
However, shortage still occurs especially when demand surges during festive seasons, said Sabah Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan.
He said rebuilding the pork stock will take time, as it involves the breeding process but imports are still allowed to supplement domestic supplies.
“Our supplies are gradually returning to normal, but it’s during festive seasons that we may experience shortages,” he said when met here today.
The ASF outbreak led to the culling of 10,000 infected pigs and the closure of 11 commercial farms in various districts to prevent the virus from spreading.
Consequently, pork prices in Sabah soared from RM20 per kg in late 2021 to RM30 in April 2022. Presently, market prices remain around RM30 per kg.
Live pig prices have also steeped many times, rising from RM10.50 per kg in 2021 to RM14.50 per kg by April 2022.
Recently, Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Chan Foong Hin anticipates a 10% to 15% decrease in pork prices as pig farmers decide to lower their prices through the local association.
Chan stated that in the east coast of Sabah, such as Sandakan and Tawau, pork prices will be reduced from RM21 per kg to RM18.50 per kg, while live pig prices on the west coast will drop from RM18 per kg to RM12 per kg.
These price adjustments reflect the efforts of pig farmers in combating ASF over the past 18 months, during which they have gradually resumed production, he said.
Unlike supply, a quick check on the prices of all items have not returned to normalcy after several price hikes from 2021. – The Vibes, September 29, 2023
