KUCHING: Sarawak has introduced a feedlot farming system that utilises palm oil industry by-products as livestock feed, aiming to stabilise the price of local beef.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said this system could help reduce Sarawak’s reliance on imported cattle from Australia, which currently incurs high costs due to export taxes and unfavorable exchange rates.
According to him, the state has started a trial feedlot farming project in Lubok Antu, utilising waste from palm oil processing plants owned by the Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (SALCRA) as animal feed.
“We found that palm oil mill waste such as kernel and biomass can be processed into animal feed.
“This allows us to raise cattle and goats in a feedlot system without relying on imported animal feed,” he said when met after officiating the handover of sacrificial cows and meat for the Gedong constituency at Al-Kawthar Mosque in Kampung Gedong here today (June 8).
He explained that by using by-products as animal feed in feedlots, Sarawak could rear its own cattle while reducing the need to import expensive animal feed — resulting in significant cost savings.
“Secondly, in these feedlots, if we provide high-quality, nutrient-rich feed — mixing napier grass with these by-products — the cattle will have access to nutritious food,” he said.
Abang Johari, who is also Gedong assemblyman, explained that if the project succeeds, Sarawak has the potential to leverage 38 palm oil mills across the state to continuously and on a large scale produce animal feed.
He added that this approach is part of Sarawak’s new agricultural policy, which focuses more on circular economy practices and the optimal use of local resources.
“We want to move away from traditional open village farming methods to a more modern and efficient closed system. When livestock numbers increase, the supply will rise, and this will help stabilise market prices,” he said.
When asked about the status of the project in Lubok Antu, Abang Johari explained that it is still in its early stages, but the initial results are showing promising potential.
“It’s only been two years since we started in Lubok Antu. I will announce its progress by the end of this year. What’s certain is, we no longer want to depend solely on imports,” he said.
At present, Sarawak imports the majority of its beef supply from Australia through farms managed by the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), but faces multiple challenges including policy changes in Australia and high export taxes.
Earlier, the media reported that beef prices in Sarawak are among the highest in the country, reaching up to RM96 per kilogramme.
Meanwhile, residents in the Gedong area received a total of 24 donated cows. Of these, 13 were contributed by Abang Johari through the Gedong Welfare Trust Board (LAKIG).
Another six came from the Batang Sadong parliamentary constituency, while the remaining five were donated by the Samarahan Division Islamic Welfare Trust Board (LAKIS).
