Malaysian pig farmers: no growth promoters
Almost all pig farmers in Malaysia have signed a loyalty pledge not to use beta agonist and other illegal growth enhancing substances on their livestock.
The loyalty pledge bans the use of three illegal growth enhancers: beta agonist, nitofuran and chloramphenicol.
Deputy agriculture and agro-based industry minister Datuk Mah Siew Keong, said a total of 654 farmers had signed the pledge. The association members, mainly from Penang, Perak, Malacca, Johor and Selangor, supply about 7,000 pigs per day to abattoirs nationwide.
“Those who have not signed, especially the small pig farmers, should do so as soon as possible,” he told reporters at his ministry.
Legal action
Mah said the ministry would not hesitate to take legal action against those caught using the banned substance.
He said the response from the pig farmers had been encouraging with no new cases of beta agonist detected in pork at the abattoirs.
Not cost effective
The Federation’s Pig Unit chairman Jeffrey Beh Kim Hee, said the use of beta agonist among pig farmers had stopped, as the substance was a banned item and using it was not cost effective.
In February, health minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said that pig feed containing beta agonist was now a banned substance under the Customs Prohibited Order.
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