Ample beef supply for Raya Haji but demand falls short

Source: The Star

BUKIT MERTAJAM: The supply of mutton and beef for this year's Hari Raya Haji is sufficient but demand has been lukewarm.

Beef trader Mohamad Azhar Ahmad, 64, observed that demand was slow despite sufficient supply of beef and mutton for the festive season.

"One of the reasons could be that Hari Raya Haji is more subdued and not celebrated on a grand scale like Hari Raya Puasa.

"And on the day of Raya, Muslims get korban (sacrificial) meat from their respective areas," he said when met at a wet market here on Monday.

Mohamad Azhar said he sells fresh meat at RM41 per kg, while frozen meat is available at RM22 to RM24 per kg.

Mazham Abdul Jalil, 53, a frozen meat seller, said the supply of imported frozen beef is enough for this Hari Raya Haji.

"Sales of imported frozen meat are as usual.

"People seldom buy frozen meat during this festive time, as there will be fresh meat available from the korban ceremony on the day of Raya," he said.

Mazham explained that the price of frozen meat from India, New Zealand and Australia is between RM22 and RM26 per kg.

Fresh mutton meat seller K. Nadarajah Pillay, 60, who sells halal mutton meat at the Bukit Mertajam market, said sales were as usual.

"It is normal during this period as most of my Muslim customers don't buy beef or mutton during Hari Raya Haji," he said.

Nadarajah Pillay said there is ample supply of mutton and he does not expect any shortages for the next couple of months.

He noted that the price of mutton has so far not increased, with a kilogramme of the meat being sold at RM60.

Chicken trader Nurkhairun Nadzirin Norzihad, 30, however, was shocked to learn that the price of chicken per kilogramme had increased by 20 sen.

"There is enough supply, so why the sudden increase in price?" he asked.

Nurkhairun said the price of chicken before this was only RM10.80 per kg and the increase could be due to the hike in the price of diesel.

He said he feared the price of chicken may increase further as chicken suppliers could cite an increase in operational costs, such as a higher diesel price, as they usually use four-wheel-drive vehicles to distribute their chicken supply to traders.

"I just hope the chicken price will not be affected and remain stable," he said.

Muslims in Malaysia will celebrate Hari Raya Haji this coming Monday.