By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, May 23: Sarawak’s food trade balance deficit has risen in the last five years, with a record value of RM4.65 billion in 2021 compared to RM3.86 billion in 2018.
The Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Sarawak (MFICORD) Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said the agriculture sector has contributed 10.54 per cent with a value of RM14.6 billion to Sarawak’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2022.
“The growth in the agriculture sector is largely contributed by the improved production of palm oil which increased from 3.9 million tonnes in 2021 to 4.0 million tonnes in 2022.
“My Ministry is targeting the sector to grow at 2.5 per cent in 2023, in line with the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030),” he said when presenting his ministerial winding-up speech at Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting here today.
Dr Rundi mentioned that efforts to revive the paddy production must be made since the self-sufficiency level (SSL) for rice stood at 34 per cent as compared to 42 per cent in 2020.
He also said that the pace of development for beef sub-sector is still far off to meet the SSL in Sarawak, with the cattle population in the region estimated at about 17,000 heads in 2022.
Additionally, Sarawak imported a total of RM1.11 billion of animal feed product and maize to produce animal feed in 2021.
“Currently, the total livestock feed requirement in Sarawak stands at 660,000 metric tonnes, valued at RM2.1 billion,” he emphasised. – DayakDaily
