More abattoirs to be appointed to open up beef trade
PETALING JAYA: The cartel that has been controlling beef imports for the last 20 years has been targeted to be broken by the Government.
Forty more overseas abattoirs are expected to be allowed to export beef to Malaysia, which would lead to a better supply and cheaper beef.
“We don’t want the business to be monopolised,” Veterinary Services Department director-general Datuk Dr Aziz Jamaluddin told The Star.
He said the decision to “liberalise the beef trade with more suppliers” was the decision of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who was upset with the monopoly.
“Allowing more abattoirs to supply halal beef here will benefit consumers directly. This will prevent anyone dictating the price and supply,” he added.
Dr Aziz said the department’s inspectors would visit abattoirs in India, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Sudan, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Australia and New Zealand next week.
“The new abattoirs must comply with the halal meat requirement. Only those who can supply halal meat will be allowed to export their products here,” he said.
He said there was no shortage of beef “but certain groups are manipulating prices and supply”.
An industry source said that at least five groups of importers have been dictating prices of between RM8 and RM12 per kilo, depending on the cut and season.
Malaysia depends on 32 abattoirs in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, India, New Zealand and Uruguay for its beef supply.
Almost 85% of the supply is imported from India, and much of it is actually buffalo meat. The country imports about RM840mil worth of beef products annually.
Meanwhile, Muhyiddin said his ministry and the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry would be monitoring the 40% price increase for buffalo meat imported from India.
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