14 May 2024
PETRA JAYA: The Ministry of Food Industry, Commodity, and Regional Development (MFICORD) will explore the production of animal feed using agricultural biomass to reduce the increasing dependency on imported animal feed every year.
Its Minister, Dato Sri Stephen Rundi Utom (pictured), said the exploration would be carried out by the Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (SALCRA) together with the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC).
He said the Sarawak government has allocated RM30 million to SALCRA to develop quality palm oil-based animal feed at reasonable prices.
"This fund will be used for the construction of a Palm Kernel Crushing Plant in Lubok Antu, a ruminant feed mill in Saratok, and the production of other ingredients for animal feed.
"To date, the construction of the Palm Kernel Crushing Plant in Lubok Antu is progressing as scheduled.
"This plant will produce 13,500 metric tons of palm kernel annually once it is operational in the second quarter of 2025," he said during the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting today.
He added that for the ruminant feed mill in Saratok, the installation of machinery and equipment is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year.
According to him, the mill has the capacity to produce 20,000 metric tons of palm pellet feed for ruminants annually.
"In addition, SEDC is also involved in the production of cattle pellet feed using palm oil biomass. The plant located in Sibu is expected to be operational this year with an annual production capacity of 3,200 metric tons," he said.
Meanwhile, he also announced that a total of RM28.7 million has been allocated to the Sarawak Department of Agriculture to implement 124 farm road projects.
He said the total length of the projects is 119 kilometers (KM) and benefits about 1,300 farmers.
"This year, the Sarawak Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) has received an allocation of RM42 million to implement 216 projects under the Malaysian Road Record System (MARRIS) scheme in drainage and irrigation systems throughout the state.
"At present, 11 projects have been completed, 102 projects are under construction, and 103 projects are in the planning stage," he said.
Furthermore, he said DID Sarawak has also received an allocation of RM2.15 million from the Ministry of Rural Development and Regional Development (KKDW) for the implementation of nine projects under the Agricultural Farm Road Program (JLP), and at present, all these projects are in the planning stage.
Meanwhile, under the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities (MPIC), DID Sarawak has received a total allocation of RM6.097 million to implement 16 projects under the Smallholder Farm Road Program (JLPK), with one project being implemented and 15 projects in the planning stage.
In addition, he said, RM5.70 million has been allocated to SALCRA in 2024 to implement nine farm road projects with a total length of 34.0 kilometers. Currently, he said, these projects are in the tender stage.
