Malaysia’s export ban on live chicken will be lifted in phases

Malaysia will lift its export restrictions on live commercial broilers in phases starting from Tuesday, according to Minister of Agriculture and Food Industries Ronald Kiandee. 

The Southeast Asian country will allow exports of 1.8 million live birds a month, which is 50% of the total restriction limit that covers 3.6 million birds, Kiandee said in a statement Monday. The curbs were imposed during a wave of food protectionism that swept the world earlier this year, and should bring some relief to import-dependent Singapore.

“The decision was made after domestic chicken supplies began to stabilize in the third quarter of the year, with an average surplus of 1.8 million chickens a month,” Kiandee said. The export ban on whole chickens, chicken parts and day old chicks remains in place. 

Poultry farms have been given a limit on how much they can export based on their monthly chicken production, and those that do not comply will not be allowed to ship overseas, he said. 

Food Costs

The government temporarily banned chicken exports at the start of June to stabilize domestic supplies and prices. Malaysia was one of a number of countries that restricted farm exports to cope with local shortages, from Indonesia’s temporary ban on palm oil shipments to Indian curbs on wheat. Countries have been grappling with soaring food costs as the war in Ukraine disrupted trade.

The shipment halt hit Singapore particularly hard because the city-state depended on Malaysia for a third of its chicken imports. The move not only sparked concern about a shortage of its iconic chicken rice dish, but exposed deeper vulnerabilities in a country that imports most of the food it consumes. 

Singapore has sought to diversify its chicken supplies after Malaysia restricted shipments. It approved imports from Indonesia, adding to existing sources such as Brazil, Thailand and Australia. 

A decision on fully lifting the export ban will be made depending on the availability of chicken supplies at local markets as well as production at farms, Kiandee said. For now, authorities will continue to monitor the country’s supplies as well as exports of live birds.

About 98% of Malaysia’s live bird exports go to Singapore, according to the agriculture ministry. The city-state bought 46 million birds last year. Almost all Malaysian chickens imported by Singapore are live animals, which are then slaughtered and chilled, according to the Singapore Food Agency.

Malaysia announced a partial lifting of the ban in mid-June, allowing exports of some live premium birds like kampung and black chicken.