RM33 million boost for livestock industry — Uggah
KUCHING: Sarawak is stepping up efforts to increase its production of cattle, goats and buffaloes.
In this respect, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah says a sum of RM33 million has been set aside for this purpose next year and the Veterinary Services Department (DVS) Sarawak has been tasked to carry out the responsibility.
Uggah, who is also Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development, says Sarawak needs to upgrade its livestock industry.
“We want to increase our livestock population. This is a major programme to transform and modernise the industry,” he said after attending a development briefing at DVS Sarawak headquarters in the Semenggok area near here yesterday, where political secretary to the chief minister Dr Richard Rapu and DVS Sarawak director Dr Adrian Susin were also present.
Uggah also said various models like contract-farming and the application of technology like artificial insemination would be used to achieve this objective.
According to him, the artificial insemination programme could boost livestock production beyond the normal natural birth rate.
On the rearing of buffaloes, he said the focus would be in Limbang and Lawas, seeing that the two areas have great potential for this, given that these markets could be accessed by Brunei.
“Currently, the state has about 6,000 buffaloes. Our aim is to increase the population to 11,000 like how it was in year 2000.
“Our focus here too is to increase our self-sufficiency level (SSL) in cattle, goats and buffaloes. Now the SSL for cattle is about 10 per cent, and seven per cent for goats,” he said.
Uggah added that buffalo farmers would be provided with grants to upgrade the fencing around their farms.
“We will also extend similar grants to those farmers in Bario where we are interested in domesticating their herd – now largely left to roam free,” he said.
Uggah was optimistic such assistance would go a long way in helping the government eradicate poverty among the rural populace, apart from increasing their incomes.
On another matter, Uggah said Sarawak has enough pigs for domestic consumption.
“Up to October this year, we exported about RM30 million worth of live pigs to Singapore,” he disclosed.
Earlier, Uggah attended a briefing on Serian Division agricultural development at the Serian District Council conference room.
The session was conducted by the divisional officer Garcia Sia Stephen.