Proposal to expand pork imports as ASF depletes supplies

The Veterinary Services Department will review a proposal from the Federation of Pork Sellers Associations to temporarily import pork from Thailand, Brazil, and China to overcome a shortage.

Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu said the proposal comes after several pig farms in Selangor were closed due to an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF).

“Currently, Malaysia is still able to import pork from countries in Europe, Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

“We encourage importers to source pork from these countries for now,” he said in a statement today.

Mohamad highlighted that the shortage has hurt local pig farmers and led to a sharp increase in fresh pork prices, impacting consumers.

Looking ahead, he said his ministry will work closely with the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry to review proposals for pork price controls.

Price regulations, under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011, are typically applied only during festive seasons when demand is high.

For a long-term solution to combat ASF, industry players were urged to modernise their farms to reduce the risk of diseases.

Mohamad welcomed support from the state governments of Penang, Perak, and Sabah for the modernisation.

He also noted that Sarawak and Negeri Sembilan are establishing special pig farming areas.

While the modernising process requires significant investment, the ministry is ready to assist stakeholders and plans to hold an engagement session soon.

“It is our hope that these measures will help stabilise the pork supply, benefit consumers and farmers, and ultimately enable us to achieve a 90 percent self-sufficiency rate in local pork production by 2030,” Mohamad said.

- Bernama

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