MELAKA: As the price of pork is close to RM1,600 per 100 kg now, many are of the view that the price will continue to spike due to tight supply.

Some pork sellers are predicting that the price could hit RM1,900 per 100 kg in the next two weeks in anticipation of the dumpling festival.

The surge in pork price is not temporary due to supply of pork being affected by the African swine fever and a ceiling capped to control the number of pigs reared by the farmers.

Operators hope the government will look into the issue of pork price, or it will become a luxurious product not many people can afford.

Kiow Kot Ching, head of the pig unit of the Melaka branch of the Federation of Livestock Farmers Associations of Malaysia, said Melaka’s pig farms are currently without pigs.

Melaka’s pork supply has come from Johor, Selangor and Perak after local pigs were culled last year due to the outbreak of African swine fever.

“The government should take a serious look into the shortage of pork supply and its price,” he said.

Kiow, from Paya Mengkuang, urges the state government to consider resuming pig farming in the state as this decision would help ease the surge in pork price.

Pork seller Lim Oh Pah said the surge in the price of pork is shocking and that pork is now considered a premium product not everyone can afford.

He suggested that the government emulate Singapore which has imported frozen pork from Australia.

“Oversea pigs are now cheaper than the local ones. The government should consider importing pork as an additional source of supply,” he said.

Prices of pork have been rising throughout Malaysia due to the acute supply shortage.