KUCHING: It is never too late for the state to set up its own livestock industry, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas. “The setting up of the state’s own livestock industry is a reflection of the state government’s commitment to be at least on par with the rest of the country. “Hence, the State Veterinary Services Department will need to change its direction to enable us to achieve the target.
“If you check the livestock figures, the self sufficiency level for beef is 23.4% at the national level but only 10% for Sarawak. “As for goat, the national level is 11.4% while Sarawak is 7% only and for cow milk it is 58.7% at the national level but for Sarawak 0.7% only,” he said at the State Veterinary Services Department’s Appreciation Night at Merdeka Palace Hotel here on Saturday. He added that the department should make a move now to ensure that the state achieves the SSL for beef at 50%, goat (30%), cow milk (50%) and an increase in buffalo population by 2030. “We also hoped that our export of bird’s nests and swine will be tripled in the next five years.
“This will help in our objective to be a net exporter of food by 2030 as set by our Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
“I want the State Veterinary D epar tment to focus on SSL because we have plenty of land with hardworking entrepreneurs. We also found out that this (livestock) industry is another source of wealth,” he said. During the function 17 officers of the department received Excellence Service Award for last year while five retired officers each received an appreciation certificate.
