KL lifts duties on poultry

KL lifts duties on poultry

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): The Malaysian government yesterday ordered the immediate abolishing of import taxes on frozen and live chicken after a controversial bid to persuade poultry farmers to lower prices failed.

"The cabinet decided on this at its weekly meeting today (Wednesday) following the rise in prices and shortfall in supply," Abu Hassan Omar, minister of domestic trade and consumer affairs, was quoted by Bernama news agency as saying.

Malaysia, which buys poultry from Thailand, Indonesia and Denmark, had imposed an import levy of 1.32 ringgit (52.8 U.S. cents) a kilo (2.2 pounds).

Abu Hassan said poultry farmers, wholesalers and retailers would be given until Saturday to reduce prices to a more reasonable level.