KUCHING: Sarawak has set aside RM33 million to increase its cattle, goat and buffalo production next year.Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said the state Veterinary Services Department had been tasked with the responsibility on increasing production.
Uggah, who is also the Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Minister said Sarawak needed 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 in a statement after attending a development briefing at the Veterinary Services Department headquarters in Semenggok near here.
He said towards this end, various models including contract farming and the application of technology like Artificial Insemination (AI) would be used.
The AI programme would be the way to boost livestock production beyond the normal natural birth rate.
“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.
“But we have enough pigs for domestic consumption. Up to October this year we have exported about RM30 million worth of live pigs to Singapore,” he said.
On buffalo rearing, he said the focus would be on Limbang and Lawas.
“Our aim is to increase the population to 11,000 from the current 6,000.
“We have signed a MoU with Brunei for this. We already have a working relationship with the Brunei Agriculture Department,” he said.
Uggah said Limbang and Lawas were selected for the scheme given its close proximity to Brunei, adding that participating farmers would be assisted with grants to upgrade the fencings of 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.
He was optimistic that the assistance would go a long way in helping the government eradicate poverty among rural folks besides increasing their income.
Earlier, Uggah also attended a briefing on Serian Division’s agricultural development by its divisional officer Garcia Sia Stephen.
Also present at the function were state Veterinary director Dr Adrian Susin and his officers and a political secretary to the chief minister Dr. Richard Rapu.
