Switch to closed system call to Perak poultry farms

BAGAN SERAI (Perak), March 17 (Bernama) -- The Perak government has requested owners/operators of poultry farms not to procrastinate over the need to switch from open farming to a closed system by 2024 to eliminate the issues of foul smell and flies.

State Plantations, Agriculture and Food Industries Committee chairman Razman Zakaria said the matter would remain unresolved come 2024 if the farm owners or operators adopted a ‘wait-and-see’ attitude.

He spoke to reporters after a working visit today to two poultry farms, in Kubu Gajah, Selama, and Changkat Lobak, Bagan Seri.

Razman, who is the state assemblyman for Gunung Semanggol, said the state government would step up enforcement by directing the Veterinary Services Department to act against fly infestation at poultry farms.

The action to be taken now is the imposition of a fine of RM2,000 in accordance with the Poultry Farming Enactment 2005, he said, adding that the state government is drafting a new enactment that will raise the fine to RM20,000.

The state government announced last year that it wants all poultry farms in Perak to switch to the closed system over a period of three years to reduce fly infestation that has become a bother for nearby residents.

A check revealed that about 1,000 residents of 600 houses in Kampung Changkat Lobak have been putting up with the flies from several poultry farms for over 20 years.

Mohd Ridzuan Zulkifli, 33, a member of the Kampung Changkat Lobak Development and Security Committee, said the flies are a nuisance as they settle on their food and pose a problem at mealtimes.

It is embarrassing when we have visitors and they see the flies swarming around, he said.

-- BERNAMA