KUALA LUMPUR, August 26 — Miri MP Chiew Choon Man has highlighted various obstacles hindering pig farmers from adopting modern pig farming (MPF), as the industry continues to struggle with African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks.
These include the need for large capital expenditure as upgrading a farm of 100 sows, for example, can cost up to RM2.5 million; complex and lengthy land approval processes; as well as ASF that can risk new investments losing entire herds in an infected farm.
“Data shows that farm prices [of live pigs] in the peninsula have increased from around RM7.18/kg in 2019 to RM17.50/kg this year – an increase of more than 140 per cent,” Chiew said in a statement after meeting the Domestic Trade, Entrepreneurship, Cost of Living and Agriculture parliament special select committee in Parliament here yesterday.
“This increase isn’t solely due to operational costs, but structural factors: an ASF epidemic that has been persisting from 2022 until now, the closure of a few farms, as well as uncertainty that has led many farmers to reduce and delay restocking breeding sows.
“Additionally, the cost of new breeding stock is still high. Up till now, there is still no ASF vaccine, even as the standard disease control method remains stamping-out (eradication of an entire herd in a farm that is confirmed to be infected).”
The PKR lawmaker also pointed out that animal feed comprises 70 per cent of farm expenses, with Malaysia being heavily reliant on imported corn and soybeans that are vulnerable to exchange rate fluctuations and global prices.
“Accordingly, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is driving the agenda of localising feed by increasing domestic production of feed materials and promoting local alternatives so that input costs can be reduced and livestock prices, including fresh pork, can be stabilised and made more affordable for consumers,” said Chiew.
“Among the short-term initiatives offered by the federal government is that the Ministry of Economy will collaborate with commercial banks to provide financing facilities to help farmers transform open farms into closed farms through commercial bank funding.
“The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security will also apply for a revolving fund under the 13th Malaysia Plan allocation for the Closed Pig Farm Transformation Programme, including the implementation of modern pig farms (MPA) and pig farming areas (MPA).”
The Sarawakian MP urged the federal government and state governments to provide more comprehensive financial support to farmers, including capital facilities, grants or incentives for farm machinery and equipment modernisation, and targeted feed subsidies so that the industry becomes more resilient to price shocks and disease risks.
“With the right fiscal support, we can stabilise the supply chain, protect consumers, and ensure the sustainability of local farmers.”
Last August 12, the Penang veterinary services department confirmed that an ongoing ASF outbreak has infected a fifth farm in Kampung Selamat in Tasek Gelugor.
As of August 1, more than 2,000 pigs from four farms in the village have been culled, including deaths from ASF infection.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu previously said in a written parliamentary reply that ASF outbreaks reduced Malaysia’s self-sufficiency ratio (SSR) for pork from 84.6 per cent in 2022 to 69.6 per cent in 2023. Malaysia’s pork SSR reached a high 93.4 per cent in 2021.
