KUCHING: Sarawak is now producing its own corned beef under the Sara-Bif brand and other downstream food products as part of its initiative to strengthen the agriculture supply chain.
Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development, Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said the move aligned with efforts to enhance food security in the state.
“This morning, we all paid a visit to our Halal Abattoir owned by Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC). We have just started to produce our own corned beef and a few other downstream products. I’m very happy to see this.
“This is part of our ability to create a complete supply chain..
“Our target is to produce at least 60,000 heads of cattle by 2030 and that is about 25 per cent of our Self-Sufficiency Level (SSL),” he said.
Dr Rundi said this when met by reporters after visiting the Siburan Halal Abattoir Complex here yesterday.
The minister hoped that the Sara-Bif corned beef, which contained Sarawak black pepper, could become a recognisable brand associated with the state.
He proposed organising a public carnival in Siburan to introduce the Sara-Bif corned beef to the public.
“We can invite the public to the carnival, involve all our agencies, and maybe sell the product at factory price. There could even be lucky draws,” he added.
Dr Rundi said that the Sara-Bif corned beef initiative was part of a broader strategy to establish a complete supply chain in agriculture — from upstream production to downstream processing.
“One reason why we are having problems in our agriculture progress is because we do not have a complete supply chain.
“When we ask people to plant something, they will do it. But the problem is the market. Therefore, I urge my officers and agencies under me to think hard and make sure that the agroproducts or agrosectors are sustainable,” he said.
Dr Rundi thanked PPES Ternak Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of SEDC, for taking the lead in the corned beef initiative and urged all government agencies involved to fully commit to building Sarawak’s agriculture into a resilient and self-sustaining industry.
