He said the veterinary department and the statistics department had a week to present their findings to the committee, Bernama reported.

Many poultry breeders have called for a lifting of the ban following high demand from Singapore. Annuar called for patience to allow the task force to assess the findings.

“We take the approach that everything must be based on the latest data findings, and a clear formula on the real local demand and the quantity to be exported should the ban be lifted,” he said.

Annuar said the statistics department would compute the actual production cost for every chicken produced in the country. “That figure is important for the task force to determine a reasonable ceiling price,” he said.

Agriculture and food industries minister Ronald Kiandee was reported to have said that the government will review the ceiling retail price of standard chicken and the chicken export ban following the end of the current ceiling price of chicken in Peninsular Malaysia.

The current ceiling price of RM9.40 per kg of chicken will be in force until Aug 31.