Dr Rundi (fifth left), Gira (second right), Ngu (third right) and others giving the thumbs up to the new PFA.
SELANGAU (Nov 6): Sarawak expects to earn at least RM1.5 billion additional annual revenue from the swine industry by 2030, said Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom.
The Minister for Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development said this target is achievable with the addition of a new Pig Farming Area (PFA) at Sungai Selabi here, which has the capacity to produce 150,000 Standing Pig Population (SPP) per year.
He said the modern farm sited on 575 acres of land designed to house 12,000 sows as parent stock is the third biggest pig farm in Sarawak.
“The farm will be equipped with cutting-edge biosecurity and environmental management practices as we have learned our lesson from the recent African Swine Fever (ASF) epidemic.
“This facility will set new standards for efficiency and sustainability, ensuring that Sarawak remains at the forefront of agricultural development in Malaysia,” he told reporters when met after officiating at the groundbreaking ceremony for the farm today.
Dr Rundi urged the operator Best Pork Sdn Bhd to get the local people to be involved in the project for supplying feedstock like tapioca, cassava and so on for the farm.
He hoped the operator can also help to train the locals who are interested to venture into this field.
“Best Pork is a well-known producer of chicken, broiler eggs and so on.
“Now they are going into pig farming and I hope they can share their experience and expertise with the local young entrepreneurs who want to learn about the trade of pig farming especially in this area,” he said.
Dr Rundi expressed optimism that with such a project, farming communities in rural areas will be able to achieve RM15,000 monthly income per household in line with the state government’s plans for agro business and agriculture activities to go into full commercialisation by 2030.
“So, therefore it is a very big potential to actually eradicate poverty because all these farmers in rural areas are under the category of B40.
“The problem is the technology was not there and we had to train them.
“The moment that they get all the so-called aspects of agro business, I think we can touch our target easily,” he said.
Meanwhile, Best Pork chief executive officer Richard Ngu said the farm is set up at a cost of RM300 million and it is expected to start selling by early 2027.
Among those present were Tamin assemblyman Christopher Gira Sambang, Ministry of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development permanent secretary Datu Sirai Daha and Sarawak Veterinary Services Department director Datu Dr Adrian Susin Ambud.
