LAWAS: Sarawak aims to take its buffalo breeding industry to a higher level and the state government has identified strategies to propel it.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said these included bringing in breeding stocks from countries such as Australia or India.
Uggah, who is also Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Minister, said Australian breeds could grow up to 800kg compared to local breeds which grow to between 300 to 400kg.
“We aim to improve our breeding technology including the application of artificial insemination. Of course, one of the most important factors is to ensure that we have enough food for them,” he said.
Towards this end, he had directed his officers to do feed development.
“The processed oil palm fronds are full of potential. Sabah is using this for its industry. We have around two million hectares under oil palm and daily there is a lot of frond pruning work. We may have access to 100,000 hectares, so one can imagine the number of fronds produced.
“If we can also develop other feed sources such as maize, pineapples and other biomass, we can definitely lower the cost for farmers,” Uggah told reporters after a visit to Maragang Buffalo Breeding Station about 28km from here yesterday.
The station with a developed area of 194 hectares out of the total 488 hectares produces quality swamp buffaloes for breeding purposes. It also serves as a breeding training centre.
It currently has 477 buffaloes of which 252 were imported last year from Australia while the rest are local breeds.
He also said there was a need to develop intensive farm models where a five-acre site could be used to breed 30 heads.
“Our objective is to have between 11,000 and 12,000 heads by 2030. In the industry’s heyday in 2000, we had 12,000 heads but currently we have only 5,000,” he said.
Thus, he said they wanted to revive the industry now to help to contribute to the state’s aim of becoming a net exporter of food and food products by 2030.
“There is a lot of demand for buffalo meat in the region,” he said.
Also present were Assistant Minister of Agriculture Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail, Lawas MP Datuk Henry Sum Agong, Batu Danau assemblyman Paulus Palu Gumbang, permanent secretary to Uggah’s ministry Awang Johari Awang Mustapha, State Veterinary Services Department director Dr Adrian Susin, and the Resident of Limbang Division Ir Ahmad Denney Ahmad Fauzi.
