KUCHING – Sarawak is self-sufficient in poultry with a 100% self-sufficiency level (SSL) for eggs and 95% SSL for poultry broilers (chickens raised for meat production), said state Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Stephen Rundi Utom.
Rundi said there are 311 licensed poultry farms in Sarawak.
“The current production of poultry broilers is 1,300 metric tonnes per month, while the current average production of eggs is 55 million pieces per month.
“In view of the rising demand for poultry, the Sarawak government will continue to develop the poultry industry to establish the state as the main producer of poultry products in the region,” he told the state assembly sitting in his winding-up speech on the state’s budget for next year.
Meanwhile, Rundi said the SSL for beef is currently at 12% and 5.5% for mutton.
He said the population of cattle and buffalo in Sarawak is estimated at about 17,000 and 7,300 heads, respectively while the population of goats and sheep is 14,000 heads.
Rundi said under its Post-Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030, his ministry has set a target of 25% SSL for beef and mutton to be achieved by 2030.
“To achieve this target, a standing population of around 60,000 heads of beef cattle and 20,000 heads of buffalo and 215,000 heads of sheep and goats are required,” he said.
He added Sarawak has also successfully increased the SSL for fresh milk from just 1% in 2016 to 25% currently.
“This is largely due to the establishment of a private modern dairy farm in 2016 in Kg Panchor, Serian with a dairy cattle population of 250 heads of cows,” he added. – Bernama, November 30, 2022
