Agriculture ministry freezes permit fees for livestock feed imports

The agriculture and food industries ministry has announced the suspension of permit fee collections for four livestock feed commodities – corn, soy, wheat and other animal- and plant-based feed – effective today, to facilitate the import of these commodities.

The import fee previously charged for corn, wheat and soy was RM15 per permit application, while permits for other animal- and plant-based feed were RM20 per application.

The ministry, in a statement today, said the high cost of raw materials for feed in the livestock industry had contributed to the increase in prices of food such as whole chicken in the local market.

“Most of the raw materials for animal feed are imported from abroad. The suspension of permit fee collections for the import of these commodities can help reduce logistics costs in an effort to stabilise feed prices in the country,” it said.

It also said that the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department would implement a rapid entry process for the commodities at the country’s entry points to streamline the import processes and reduce logistics costs.