S’wak govt forecasts positive growth for animal-rearing industry – Uggah
KUCHING: The Sarawak government is projecting positive growth for the animalrearing industry to reach self- sufficiency level ( SSL) and to be a food producing state by 2030.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said he targets to have 50 per cent SSL for cattle rearing, 30 per cent for lamb and 50 per cent for milk.
“At the same time, we target to increase the population of cows to 11,000 head annually, and the export of bird’s nests and pigs to increase three folds. Look at what we got compared with the national figure – cattle at 23.42 per cent while we only got 10 per cent so far.
“For lamb, the national figure is 11.41 per cent compared to our seven per cent, while for milk ( cow, buffalo, goat) it is 58.67 per cent compared to our 0.7 per cent.
“However, Sarawak has exported several livestock like pigs to Singapore worth RM35 million and bird’s nests at RM50 million, and our chicken eggs are also exported to Hong Kong,” he said at the Sarawak Department of Veterinary Services ( DVS) appreciation dinner on Saturday.
At the event, he presented appreciation and excellence awards to 17 staff and retirees of the department.
He encouraged the retirees to look at the potential of the SSL field given that Sarawak has a lot of land and diligent people.
He said their main challenge would be in obtaining land as Sarawak has two million hectares planted with oil palm, half of which are mature palm plants, which have the potential to be used for rearing animals.
“We have implemented the integration programme at five Salcra plantations throughout Sarawak. So we need to see the possibility to increase the rearing industry so that it is developed in tandem with the state’s oil palm plantation policy and be at the same level with other states in Malaysia.
“We are looking for two or three integrated pig farms here and will invite anyone interested to start it to support the effort of becoming a food producing state,” said Uggah, who is also Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development.
He said that this new industry needs to be explored because it brings great return and can be reaped at the same time with ripe oil palm fruits.
He said the ministry imported 1,000 head of cattle in 2017 and 600 from the SEDC plantation in New Zealand this year, which is a worrying figure if the state is to achieve SSL.
“I have instructed Salcra to start a husbandry plantation so that in the five years, we can produce 1,000 calves a year to hit the target including buffalo and goat. To be a food producing state, Sarawak cannot be left behind in usage of technology in the agriculture and plantation sector.”
The greatest challenge at the moment, he added, is food for the animals which is 90 per cent imported and makes animal rearing in the state less competitive.
The state has to compete with other countries like Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia by using lower cost and quality breed.
He reminded the DVS staff to use the management plan and budget strategy using outcome base for the fund allocation of RM23 million next year.
Present at the event were Assistant Minister of Agriculture Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail, the ministry’s permanent secretary Datu Ik Pahon Joyik and DVS Sarawak director Dr Adrian Susin Ambud.
The event also saw the launching of the new DVS official logo.