By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, Nov 14: Ministry of Food Industry, Commodities and Regional Development Sarawak (M-FICORD) will establish the Sarawak Livestock Development Board.
Its minister Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom elaborated that the board will be tasked with coordinating Sarawak’s ruminant farming industry as a whole.
“This is one of the two steps planned by the ministry to strengthen the ruminant (farming) industry that includes improving livestock breeds in Sarawak,” he said.
Dr Rundi said this when replying to Serembu assemblyman Miro Simuh who asked about the ministry’s steps to improve ruminant livestock breeds in Sarawak during the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) sitting here today.
He added the ministry will also establish a Ruminant Biotechnology Centre at Sungai Pinang, Simujan.
He revealed that a total of RM2 million has been allocated for the initial development of this centre which aims to carry out research in terms of genetic improvement and use modern technology in reproduction such as embryo transfer and other related areas.
Meanwhile, his ministry has set targets to increase the self-sufficiency rate for meat cattle, buffalo, goats and sheep from 15 per cent currently, to 25 per cent in 2030.
Dr Rundi highlighted that to achieve this target, it is necessary to increase the ruminant livestock population to 158,750 animals, consisting of 60,000 cattle, 20,000 buffaloes, and 78,750 goats and sheep.
He elaborated that his ministry has been allocated RM40 million under the 12th Malaysia Plan to implement various programmes for ruminant livestock in Post-Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.
“The ruminant livestock population as of 2024 is around 35,000 compared to 32,000 in 2023.
“This increase of 3,000 heads has given impetus to my ministry to continue strengthening efforts for developing the ruminant livestock industry including encouraging private sector participation for commercial-scale ruminant farming and modern.”
Dr Rundi also revealed that among the initiatives in PCDS 2030 for ruminant livestock is to continue the ruminant livestock breeding scheme by sourcing high-quality livestock breeds from Australia to be distributed to farmers.
“This year, 1,430 ruminant livestock consisting of 650 cows, 300 buffaloes, and 490 sheep were received by 23 participants.”
He added, to strengthen the integration of cattle breeding with palm oil estates through this programme, the number of cattle population has been increased to 13,000 so far which is as much as 9,750 heads or 75 per cent contributed by private oil palm estates and 3,250 or 25 per cent by oil palm smallholders.
He said other incentives include establishing livestock breeding and fattening centres through Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Board (Salcra) in Rimbas (Betong), Mayang and Siburan (Serian), and Stenggang (Bau); and to privatise livestock stations for goats and sheep (Temudok, Sri Aman), cattle (Karambungan, Miri), and buffalo (Maragang, Lawas). — DayakDaily
