FARM AIMS TO BEEF UP PRODUCTION
PITC set to help nation meet 30pc beef self-sufficiency level in five years
PUSAT Integrasi Ternakan Chuping (PITC), located in Felda Chuping, will help the government meet the country’s 30 per cent beef self-sufficiency level (SSL) within the next five years.
There are 295 cows from the Brahman species from Australia and Thailand under its breeding programme, carried out since October 2017 on a 500ha area out of the 613.5ha site.
PITC project manager Dr Muhammad Iqbal Ishak said there were plans to increase the number of cows to the maximum capacity of 1,200 cows in stages, and to produce a cross-breed of the Brahman and Charolais species.
“Our aim is to help the government increase the country’s beef SSL level.
“We will able to do that when we operate in full capacity within five years.
“These are exciting times for us and we are looking forward to obtaining the necessary assistance from government agencies to help us in our pursuit.
“All this is to ensure our success as the largest breeding farm in the country,” he told the New Straits Times at PITC here recently.
Besides cows, there are also 265 sheep from the White Dorper breed. The full capacity is 700.
There are also 2,400 Harum Manis trees, which will bear fruit for the first time in May.
In terms of individual ownership, the Harum Manis farm within PITC is among the largest in Perlis, the only state well known for the mango variant.
Iqbal said they had written to the Economic Affairs Ministry to relate their future plans, and were hoping for a favourable response.
Elaborating, he said, they were able to produce only 50 metric tonnes of beef although the demand was 1.8 million metric tonnes.
“The demand is huge but there is only so much we can do. Our focus is to sell the breed. Some buyers snap up our cows as soon as they reach six months of age.
“We hope that through our breeding programme, we are able to produce some 1,200 cows for sale every two years.
“We have chosen the Brahman and the Brahman and Charolais cross-breed species as they are able to withstand our weather. Their flesh is meatier.”
Iqbal said as for Harum Manis, they planned to increase the planting area from 20ha to 40ha.
Plans are in the pipeline to turn PITC into an agro-tourism product by attracting more visitors by year-end.
“With more people coming here, we may consider bringing in more animals, such as deer, and organising a farm tour, as well as opening up a petting area.”