Deputy minister warns Sabah’s RM16 pig price surge piles pressure on pork traders and families

KOTA KINABALU, June 22 — Agriculture and Food Security Deputy Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin said it is shocking that Sabah’s live pig prices have increased four times over the past six months, while prices in Peninsular Malaysia have been declining during the same period.

He said based on feedback from industry players and pork retailers, the live pig price in Sabah was about RM11 per kg at the beginning of this year but has now risen to around RM16 per kg, placing significant pressure on retailers and consumers. 

In comparison, live pig prices in the peninsula are currently between RM14 and RM14.50 per kg. 

“I understand that the industry is still recovering from the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak in 2021, and I acknowledge the challenges faced by pig farmers, including higher feed costs, logistics expenses, exchange rate fluctuations and broader uncertainties in the global market.

“However, while industry recovery is important, we must not overlook the burden faced by consumers. Any industry’s development must strike a reasonable balance between producers, businesses and consumers,” he said in a statement.

Chan, who is also Kota Kinabalu Member of Parliament, said he received feedback from pork traders during his visit to Pasar Lido and Pasar Foh Sang, where many expressed concerns over rising costs.

“The traders told me that they have always followed the principle of passing on higher costs when prices increase. However, consumers often do not understand the situation and assume retailers are raising prices arbitrarily, which puts them under considerable pressure.”

He said this has led many traders to call for the importation of frozen pork to increase supply and help stabilise prices.

Following the feedback, Chan contacted the Sabah Livestock Association (SLA) for further clarification and was informed that the association had agreed to maintain current price levels and not implement any further increases for the time being.

“I welcome the commitment made by the Sabah Livestock Association during its AGM on Saturday to maintain current prices and refrain from further increases in view of the sensitivity of the market.”

He called on pig farmers, wholesalers and other industry players to demonstrate greater social responsibility by doing their best to stabilise prices and avoid frequent increases amid the current economic environment, in order to ease the cost-of-living burden on the public.

Chan commended Sabah Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar for recently announcing a one-off animal feed supply assistance programme for small-scale pig farmers in the State.

“I thank the Sabah government for recognising the challenges faced by the local pig farming industry and for allocating resources to support its recovery and strengthen biosecurity measures. 

“I believe this assistance will help improve production capacity and contribute to market stability.”

Chan stressed that if future price adjustments are genuinely unavoidable, industry players should provide clear justification and communicate with the market well in advance, rather than issuing last-minute notices that disrupt retailers and the wider supply chain.

“Pork is an important source of food for many families. While businesses deserve a fair return, industry players should also consider the interests of consumers and work together to maintain market order and price stability so that essential food remains affordable.”

He added that producers, wholesalers, retailers and government agencies must continue working together to ensure a stable pork supply, reasonable prices and the long-term sustainability of Sabah’s pork industry.

On Saturday, Chan and his Kota Kinabalu parliamentary service team visited Pasar Lido and Pasar Foh Sang in conjunction with the Dragon Boat Festival, distributing 500 rice dumplings to members of the public as a festive gesture. — Daily Express