KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 (Bernama) -- Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Mohd Shafie Apdal reiterated that there is no shortage of cooking oil supply in the market despite media reports on the matter.

"We don't have any shortage. Maybe small retailers have this problem," he told reporters when asked about a news report today which stated that retailers especially in Klang Valley, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and northern states were facing a shortage of cooking oil.

He said this when met after the launch of the National Intellectual Property Day by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi here.

Mohd Shafie said there was no such problem reported by hypermarkets nationwide.

Last Wednesday, Mohd Shafie was reported as saying that it was almost impossible for Malaysia to have such a problem, as the country was one of world's palm oil producers.

He however was quoted as saying that the problem could had been caused by the increase in the world's crude palm oil prices, thus affecting the cost of cooking oil production, which led to manufacturers producing it in larger packages, instead of the one kilogramme package.

-- BERNAMA