PETALING JAYA: The supply of chicken eggs is still insufficient despite eggs being imported from India.

Datuk Dr. Ameer Ali Mydin, managing director of Mydin Mohamed Holdings Bhd, said although the eggs imported from India are slightly more expensive than local eggs, the 50-sen eggs from India are still cheaper than Omega eggs at 60 sen per egg.

“There are consumers buying eggs imported from India although the eggs are smaller than type C local eggs,” he told Sin Chew Daily.

Dr. Ameer Ali said he proposed to the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry to abolish approved permits (AP) required to import chicken eggs so that more local businesses could import eggs from India.

Dr. Ameer Ali also urged the ministry to release the list of Indian egg suppliers cleared by the Malaysian authorities to remain transparent.

He also urged the ministry to abolish the 10% sales tax imposed on eggs imported from India so that the eggs can be sold cheaper.

Dr. Ameer Ali also urged the government to remove the ceiling price set for chicken eggs to ensure sufficient supply of local eggs in the long run.

Chan Foong Hin, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, clarified that the ministry did not implement APs for the import of chicken eggs.

The ministry had drafted a policy on import permits for chicken eggs on food safety considerations, he explained.

“The import permit is enforced to ensure that imported eggs are safe and free from infections,” he said.

On Dr. Ameer’s request to release the list of egg suppliers from India, Chan said his ministry had allowed the import of chicken eggs from foreign suppliers which had been screened by the authorities and declared that the eggs were free from infections.

On the 10% sales tax, Chan said this was not under the jurisdiction of the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry.