Livestock shortage amidst COVID-19: A case of Brunei Darussalam

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has increased food security risks in many parts of the world due to strict quarantine measures and lockdowns which have affected all stages of food supply chains. Brunei is not an exception. Prior to the pandemic, the poultry sub sector has performed better than others in the agriculture sector and was reportedly able to meet close to 100% of local demand for eggs and chicken. However there have been shortages of meat products such as chicken, lamb and processed meat in Brunei amidst the pandemic. This paper aims to review the contributing factors of these shortages. Some of the factors identified were increased of demand, cost of logistics, and cost of feed and unstable weather caused by climate change. The government has a big task ahead in not only resolving the immediate shortages but also to manage future risks. Farmers and local livestock producers require greater policy support in order to boost local production and effectively address obstacles along the supply chain in a coordinated manner. Local livestock producers must also continuously improve their competitiveness by learning and adopting new technologies in the field of agriculture not just to meet current demands but also for time to come.

Bruneian SMEs amid the COVID-19 pandemic: challenges for the Halal food processing industry

“…Musa and Basir (2021) stressed that the poultry sub-sector may have been reported to perform better than other sub-sectors in the agriculture sector as it could actually meet close to 100% of the local demand for eggs and chicken; however, there have been shortages still, in terms of meat products such as chicken, lamb and processed meat in the country due to the pandemic. According to one of the interviewees:…”

“…Other than the travel bans and the increase in prices of the supplies that have led to the raw materials becoming short in number, hence, the limited production, Musa and Basir (2021) also added that some other factors contributing to the issue include the increased of demand, cost of logistics, cost of feed and unstable weather caused by the climate change.…”

“…As a result, the outbreak could lead to the danger of food shortage and adverse effect on nutrition for the country (AMAF, 2020). In view of that, as the pandemic causes the shortage in the supply of the processed food, it subsequently creates the issue specifically on the Halal food security risk (Musa and Basir, 2021). In particular, the supply is affected due to the high demand in the local market as imports are limited combined with the SMEs that are unable to produce in a sufficient amount.…”

“…For instance, the inadequate livestock imported to the country causes the chaos of panic-buying during the pandemic as the consumers were stocking up food for reasons such as quarantine (Octaviano, 2021). Also, the SMEs cannot adequately produce due to issues concerning the increased in demand, costs of logistics, and costs of feed, and unstable weather cause by the climate change (Musa and Basir, 2021).…”

“…Subsequently, this pandemic further reduces the potential for these businesses to produce a certain amount of processed food products as resources such as meats, and employees have become inadequately lacking. Musa and Basir (2021) stressed that the poultry sub-sector may have been reported to perform better than other sub-sectors in the agriculture sector as it could actually meet close to 100% of the local demand for eggs and chicken; however, there have been shortages still, in terms of meat products such as chicken, lamb and processed meat in the country due to the pandemic. According to one of the interviewees:…”