By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Nov 30: Sarawak is self-sufficient in poultry with current production of broiler chicken at 1,300 metric tonnes per month, while the current average production of eggs is 55 million pieces per month.
Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said Sarawak has 100 per cent self-sufficiency level (SSL) for eggs and 95 per cent for poultry broilers.
“There are 311 licensed poultry farms in Sarawak consisting of 264 broiler farms, 37 layer farms and 10 poultry breeder farms.
“In view of the rising demand for poultry produced domestically as well as from neighbouring countries, particularly with the proposed relocation of the Indonesia capital to Kalimantan, the Sarawak government will continue to develop the poultry industry to establish Sarawak as the main producer of poultry products in the region,” he told the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) when delivering his winding-up speech here today.
Dr Rundi emphasised that the poultry and swine industries are agriculture sub-sectors that have the potential to be developed further as major sources of export revenue for Sarawak.
The supply of porkers (pigs fattened and raised for food) in Sarawak, he said, is surplus and will continue to be exported mainly to Singapore, Brunei and Kalimantan.
As of mid-November 2022, Dr Rundi disclosed, a total of 110,200 porkers with an estimated value or RM107.6 million were shipped to Singapore, while another 1,500 kilogrammes of pork were transported overland to Brunei Darussalam dan Kalimantan on a daily basis and this constitute a yearly income of around RM13.5 million.
“The porkers that are being exported are from the certified MyGAP anchor farm at the Pig Farming Area (PFA) Pasir Puteh Simunjan and pork products from our Veterinary Health Mark (VHM) accredited abattoir and processing plant also at Pasir Puteh Simunjan,” he explained.
To exploit the huge potential in the swine industry, Dr Rundi pointed out that the Sarawak government has approved an allocation of RM27 million to establish two more Pig Farming Areas (PFA) at Selangau in Sibu Division and Samarakan in Bintulu Division.
“To date, the site for Selangau PFA has been approved and it is at the final stage of acquiring the land while Samarakan PFA is at the preliminary planning stage,” he said.
To strengthen the livestock industry in Sarawak, the ministry has undertaken strategic initiatives including the privatisation of livestock stations with to date, three livestock stations privatised for commercial ruminant farming involving breeding and fattening purposes.
“The first livestock station that was privatised is Temudok Station, Sri Aman for commercial breeding of sheep and goats. This is followed by Karabungan Station, Miri and Maragang Station, Limbang for commercial production of cattle and buffalo respectively.
“The private firms which have been appointed as the operators for these stations are expected to begin the development of infrastructure and facilities works in early 2023,” he said.
In addition, Dr Rundi said the Sarawak government has also approved a total of RM12 million for Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) to enhance their cattle-oil palm integration programme by establishing breeding and fattening centres.
“To date, Salcra has established one cattle breeding and fattening centre in Serian while the construction of two centres located in Bau and Betong are expected to commence by second quarter of 2023.
“These breeding and fattening centres will adopt an Integrated Semi-Intensive Rearing System, integrated with oil palm estates. The three projects are expected to be fully completed in early 2025 and target to produce more than 2,000 calves annually,” he added. — DayakDaily
