Dr Abdul Rahman (fifth left) visited Meragang Station in Lawas.
SARAWAK will produce 'white gold' product which is the largest cheese based on buffalo milk (mozarella cheese) in Malaysia and Southeast Asia soon (expected to be at the end of this year).
Currently, the buffalo cheese processing factory at Maragang Lawas Station with an area of 202 hectares is in the construction stage and is ahead of schedule, expected to be completed later in November.
The pioneer product of Sarawak produced in the northernmost district of Lawas, is expected to produce the best cheese product in the world.
Deputy Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail said, currently a cheese processing factory at Meragang Buffalo Station, Merapok Lawas worth RM25 million is being built by the Sarawak Government.
He also said that the construction of the modern factory will make the Meragang Lawas Buffalo Station the first buffalo cheese processing center in Sarawak.
"The factory will be equipped with other buildings such as workers' houses and cheese storage areas that can increase the production capacity of cheese products to meet market demand in Malaysia and the world.
"From the previous briefing, the project is ahead of schedule, which is now at 72 percent construction and is scheduled to be completed in November.
"This factory, when completed, will be the largest cheese production factory based on buffalo milk in Malaysia and possibly the largest in Southeast Asia," he said during a briefing on the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu's recent visit to the Meragang Buffalo Livestock Station, Lawas. this.
Dr Abdul Rahman added that Sarawak would like to turn the Meragang Buffalo Station into a place to process buffalo milk to make cheese with the name 'mozarella cheese'.
"'Mozarella cheese' is halal in Langkawi and Selangor, but it is small.
"In Lawas, we want to work on it on a relatively large scale and that's why it requires high costs," he said.
LIVESTOCK STATION
The Bukit Kota state assemblyman said Sarawak currently has three large livestock stations, namely Meragang Lawas for buffalo, Temudu Sri Aman for goats and sheep, while in Karambungan, Miri for cattle.
"For the purpose of cheese production, the use of modern technology and the breeding of Murra type buffalo is quite suitable because it is capable of producing 25 liters of milk a day," he said.
He explained that buffalo milk is of better quality and contains good fat and has a higher price than cow's milk, as is widely cultivated in several states in the Peninsula.
In fact, he said, buffalo cheese has a high market especially in foreign countries such as Italy and Japan and cheese making has been thriving in the Peninsula for a long time, especially in Langkawi and Selangor.
Dr Abdul Rahman explained that when the factory is completed this year, the station will be able to further boost the agricultural sector in Sarawak and will help realize the state government's aspirations to make Sarawak a food exporter by 2030.
"Meragang Lawas Buffalo Station was developed as the first buffalo cheese processing center in Sarawak based on the buffalo population that is raised in the north of the state," he said.
He revealed that the Limbang division currently has about 17,000 buffaloes and Sarawak has appointed a private company as the leader of the buffalo cheese project in Lawas.
"Cheese entrepreneurs in Lawas, Green Valley Dairy Farm successfully established business relationships with buyers from Middle Eastern and African countries as well as Europe for export through the global trade network in Dubai.
"This global market allows Sarawak to export its buffalo cheese abroad, in addition to meeting the demand of the local market," he said.
The federal government, he said, welcomed Sarawak's efforts in expanding meat supply products.
The federal government welcomes Sarawak's initiatives and efforts to empower meat supply products and ruminant downstream industries to ensure the security of the country's supply.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said that the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has always supported the effort through various agency initiatives within the responsible ministry.
"We are far behind when it comes to ruminant meat.
"We are only at the 15 percent level and we still import more than 85 percent of ruminants or meat whether buffalo, goat and also non-halal livestock and so on.
"We are still far from being sufficient that's why when there is an effort in Lawas in Meragang to increase buffalo milk or beef we need to give full support," he said at a relaxed event with breeders, farmers and fishermen at a leading hotel in Lawas recently.
'WHITE GOLD', 'RED GOLD'
Mohamad explained that most of the meat imported from India is buffalo meat.
He wants the livestock sector to be expanded to the district level, especially smallholders, farmers and agro-tourism operators.
He explained that the federal government through Agro MADANI has been allocated RM1 billion to help agricultural, livestock and similar activities at the grassroots level.
"The current allocation of RM1 billion is less than 10 percent spent.
"We hope our Members of Parliament can play a role so that Agro MADANI can be used as best as possible so that the allocation can be used to increase income and food security for our community," he said.
Senior Assistant Veterinary Officer of the Lawas District Veterinary Office Robine Asut said that the Murra buffalo species will give multiple results in one time, the first being buffalo milk which can be said to be 'white gold', the second being buffalo meat which is 'red gold'.
He said, this Murra buffalo breed will be able to produce milk between 10 and 25 liters a day.
"Compared to the current paddy buffalo, we can only produce five to six liters of milk, which is only enough for the buffalo to give milk to its children.
"As for the Murra buffalo, if we take good care of their nutrition, the quality of food and nutrients are taken care of, we will be able to produce between 15 to 25 liters of milk a day," he said.
The selection of the Murra breed of buffalo, he said, is able to increase the income of buffalo farmers from RM4,000 per month at present to RM6,000 per month as a result of their milk and meat.
He explained that it will have a big impact on the socioeconomics of the community, especially buffalo farmers in the northern areas of Sarawak such as Lawas and Limbang in the future.
GREEN VALLEY
Maragang Lawas Station is located in the small district of Merapok, about 27 kilometers from Lawas town.
Its somewhat hidden position and accessed via a rocky road three kilometers from the main road turns out to hold such valuable treasures.
Meragang Lawas Buffalo Station covers an area of 200 hectares and has a green valley area similar to Kundasang in Sabah.
Established in 1991, the station, which operates as a breeding, training and research center, now houses more than 300 paddy buffaloes which are also used for breeding programs by the Sarawak Government.
In addition to animal husbandry, the station can be developed for ecotourism in line with its potential and nature that amazes visitors in accordance with its nickname as 'New Zealand Sarawak'.
Dr Abdul Rahman said, in addition to being developed for the main agriculture and animal husbandry sectors, the station also has wide potential to be made into an attractive tourist destination.
"Apart from cheese production, this area can be developed as eco-tourism in accordance with its name known to the locals as 'New Zealand of Sarawak'," he said.
He said, the terrain is beautiful, the waterfall area and the green valley allow the area to be opened as a tourism center for the Lawas area.
"Indirectly, it will attract more tourists to visit Lawas and will open up opportunities for the service sector such as homestays, restaurants and so on," he said.
Dr Abdul Rahman is optimistic that Lawas can be developed as one of the main tourism centers in Sarawak because of its position as the gateway to the northern region of Sarawak, especially following the move of the Indonesian capital to the archipelago.
This situation, he explained, is capable of attracting tourists from Indonesia through the Ba'Kelalan border.
