THE Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Ministry is targeting to utilise at least 300,000 hectares or 20 per cent of the total matured oil palm plantation in Sarawak for cattle rearing by 2030.
Its Minister Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said this will contribute towards the achievement of the targeted 60,000 heads of cattle and 25 per cent of beef Self-Sufficiency Level (SSL).
Under Cattle Pawah Programme (CPP), he said, the ministry will provide breeder cattle stock and the private company will provide plantation land for cattle integration.
Meanwhile, the Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak will provide veterinary technical assistance to the participating companies and agencies that are unfamiliar in raising ruminants.
“To further enhance the effectiveness of the programme, my ministry has recently initiated a Structured Cattle Breeding Programme to enlarge the livestock breeder population.
“The Structured Breeding Programme requires an organisation to enable systematic performance recording, planned mating and genetic evaluation of livestock and to adopt an integrated cattle management to boost production,” he said when delivering his ministerial winding up speech at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting here today.
To kick start this programme, he said, Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (SALCRA) has been tasked to establish three Cattle Breeding and Fattening Centres in Bau, Serian and Rimbas, Debak.
