Malaysia: Government agrees to temporarily allow import of chicken eggs

PUTRAJAYA (Dec 16): The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has agreed to temporarily allow the import of chicken eggs from external sources, and the decision will be reviewed when the domestic supply stabilises. In a statement issued here on Friday (Dec 16), the ministry said that the move is taken to overcome the shortage of egg supply facing the country for the past few months. The ministry had allowed the import of chicken eggs from India by air on Friday, as a trial phase to ensure the imported eggs meet all the standards set, it said. The ministry, through the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (MAQIS) and the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS), has implemented control on the entry of imported chicken eggs at the entry points through the hold, test and release examination. This includes the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for the detection of Salmonella bacteria, Newcastle disease virus and avian influenza, it said. "The test conducted is ...