According to Bernama.com, Mr Baharom said the Veterinary Department and the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry were currently monitoring the supply of meat, chicken and egg, as well as other daily essentials, and also to ensure they were sold at reasonable prices.

The ministry had taken proactive measures with the expected increase in the demand for the food items, he told reporters after giving away the 'bubur lambuk' (a type of porridge) to the public at the traffic light intersection at Taman Tengku Maheran Bandar Darulaman.

He advised those wanting to slaughter cows, buffaloes and goats to obtain permits from the Veterinary Department to ensure their animals were free of the hand, foot and mouth disease.

He also advised the public to get their food supply, like fish, meat, vegetables and fruits at the 475 farmers' markets nationwide as their price were five to 30 per cent lower than the market price.

The Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority (Fama), he said, would hold special festive season sale at 98 selected farmers' markets in the country.