BSFL, Potential Chickn Feed To Reduce Dependence On Import

By Sakini Mohd Said & Ummu Khalidah Hamzah

KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 (Bernama) -- The country's poultry industry is still seen as overly dependent on imported feed sources, thus exposing it to the risk of global market volatility including price increases and supply disruptions.

The high dependence on grain corn and soybeans not only puts pressure on production costs, but also makes the country's food supply chain more fragile when faced with international crises.

Animal nutrition expert, Prof Dr Hasliza Abu Hassim, said Malaysia currently does not have significant local corn and soybean production, causing the industry to continue to depend on imports.

"Malaysia also basically does not have significant local corn and soybean production, so the dependence on imported feed materials remains high. The implication is that the country's chicken production costs are very sensitive to global market prices.

"This includes currency exchange rate fluctuations and disruptions to international supply chains. Therefore, whenever there is geopolitical uncertainty or an increase in world commodity prices, the local chicken industry will be directly affected,” she told Bernama.

The deputy director of the Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food Security (ITAFoS), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) said that for the period 2025/2026, Malaysia's corn imports are projected to reach around 3.8 million tonnes, while soy consumption is estimated at 1.69 million tonnes, with the poultry sector as the main consumer.

In this regard, she stressed the urgent need to explore more sustainable alternative sources to reduce dependence on imported livestock feed.

Among those seen as having potential is the use of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) as an alternative protein source.

Previous studies have shown that BSFL can be used in the diet of broiler chickens and free-range chickens without affecting performance, and even supporting growth, metabolic status and livestock health.

“BSFL contains high protein between 30 to 45 per cent and has the potential to reduce dependence on imported soy,” she said.

However, she explained that BSFL is not a complete replacement for corn because corn functions as an energy source, while BSFL is more of a source of protein and fat.

“In most cases, alternative materials such as BSFL are only suitable as partial replacements and require precise diet formulation and additional processing to ensure the quality of livestock feed,” she said.

Apart from BSFL, several other materials such as palm kernel cake/palm kernel meal (PKC/PKM), rice bran and broken rice have also been used, but have not been widely used due to constraints in terms of quality, nutrient variation and digestibility.

Elaborating further, Hasliza said BSFL also has the advantage of a fast production cycle, which is between 10 to 21 days depending on the farming environment.

“These larvae can be raised using food waste or agricultural residues, thus supporting circular economy practices and the concept of zero waste,” he said.

However, she stressed that expanding BSFL on a commercial scale requires careful management, including biosecurity aspects, temperature and humidity control and post-harvest handling.

Meanwhile, industry players have begun to take initiatives to reduce dependence on imported food through alternative approaches.

Nuralis Agro Sdn Bhd, for example, collects surplus food from boarding school canteens and markets to be used as livestock feed supplements.

Its farm supervisor, Khairulhadzri Mohamad Zain, said his party is able to collect between 20 to 30 kilogrammes of food waste every day, including rice, vegetables and fruits that are still good.

“This approach not only reduces costs, but also helps reduce food waste,” he said.

However, he explained that the food waste does not completely replace commercial bran, especially in the early stages of rearing due to its complete nutritional needs.

“After the chickens are two to three months old, it is then gradually introduced as a supplementary diet,” he said.

The combined approach, he said, helps ensure that livestock remain healthy and produce denser meat, although the growth rate is slightly slower.

At the same time, experts stressed that the best approach at present is not to completely replace corn and soy, but rather reduce dependence through a combination of local and regional alternative sources.

The move is seen as important to ensure the survival of the country's poultry industry is more resilient in the face of global market uncertainties in the future.

-- BERNAMA