The organisation earned recognition for its Pasir Puteh Pig Farming Area, a model of modern and sustainable agriculture in Sarawak. Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak won the Malaysia Sustainability Initiative of the Year - Agriculture category at the GovMedia Awards 2025—a testament to its exemplary initiatives in transforming its agricultural landscape with its Pasir Puteh Pig Farming Area (PFA). PFA, located in Simunjan, Sarawak, spans 804 hectares and is located 104 kilometres from Kuching and just 4 kilometres off the main Serian-Sri Aman Road. The development of this facility aligns with the National Agriculture Policy's vision to modernise the livestock industry. Since it was established, it has implemented centralised systems for waste treatment and disease control, an effort to enhance efficiency and sustainability. It also prevents outbreaks and ensures animal health with its biosecurity measures, adopting practices that safeguard both consumer health and environmental quality. Since 2017, Pig Farming Area (PFA) Simunjan has exported over 675,000 porkers worth RM742.5m to Singapore. Export of porkers to Singapore is still ongoing and the balance is for sale at their (47) Borneo Pork Outlets throughout Sarawak. The Standing Pig Population (SPP) in the PFA is currently estimated at 135,000 heads.  PFA Simunjan is African Swine Fever Disease Free-Compartmentalization endorsed by World Organization of Animal Health (WAOH) and is exporting, on average, 2,500 live pigs weekly to Singapore. In 2024, about 120,000 live pigs were exported from the Pig Farming Area (PFA) Simunjan and generated RM197.6m in revenue. The PFA uses a closed-house system with controlled ventilation, temperature, brightness, and humidity, with its effluent being treated and recycled within the farm. It has a buffer zone that is maintained to separate the farm from residential areas. Furthermore, the facility complies with Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHP), which ensure food safety, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability. As it strives for more into the future, the Pasir Puteh PFA is eyeing to reach a full capacity of 250,000 SPP by 2030. This expansion would include the development of additional modern pig farms in Ensengei, Serian, and Selangau, Sibu, which would have combined capacities projected to total 500,000 SPP. These are expected to contribute RM1.5b in annual revenue, making Sarawak as a significant regional exporter of pork products. As Sarawak aims to become a net food exporter by 2030, these initiatives are part of its strategy toward its goal, given that the swine industry is identified as a pivotal sector in this transformation. As Sarawak is FMD free without vaccination, the Sarawak Government will continue to encourage and facilitate the participation of the private sector to boost the development of the swine industry to realise the aspiration of becoming a net exporter of food by 2030. GovMedia Awards gives recognition to the trends and best practices that transform the public sector in the Asia Pacific. The awards programme promotes excellence and provides a platform for exemplary government initiatives.

KUCHING (June 5): Sarawak is setting its sights on transforming its livestock sector into a fully integrated halal agro-industry with ambitions that extend well beyond achieving self-sufficiency, said Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom. The Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development said the state’s ongoing development of a complete livestock supply chain from upstream production to downstream processing is key to building a sustainable agro-economy. “This is part of our ability to create a complete supply chain. We’ve tried many schemes and our target is to produce 60,000 head of cattle by 2030, which will bring our self-sufficiency level (SSL) for beef and related meat products up to 25 per cent. “Sarawak’s current SSL stands at around 16 per cent, up from 13 per cent previously,” he told reporters during a working visit to the PPES Ternak Sdn Bhd Halal Abattoir Complex in Siburan, here today. He said the Halal Abattoir Complex has already started producing cornmeal and other downstream products, while efforts to diversify Sarawak’s livestock offerings are taking shape in regions such as Lawas, where mozzarella cheese production is expected to begin by the end of the year. Plans are also in motion to expand production of halal canned corned beef using Sarawak black pepper, targeting both domestic and export markets, he added. Dr Rundi further stressed the importance for agencies under his ministry to continue working together to ensure the agricultural sector becomes sustainable, by building market access into every production plan. “The reason we’re facing problems in agriculture is because we’ve never had a complete supply chain. People are willing to plant or raise livestock, but the market is often uncertain and that must change,” he said. The visit to the PPES Ternak Sdn Bhd Halal Abattoir Complex, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), reflects the government’s continued commitment to strengthening the state’s long-term food security. It also aimed to provide Dr Rundi with a firsthand understanding of PPES Ternak’s integrated supply chain operations – from feedlot farming to meat processing – and assess its strategic contributions to Sarawak’s overall food ecosystem. A statement issued by Dr Rundi’s ministry in conjunction with the visit said the programme featured a detailed tour of PPES Ternak’s core facilities, including the Siburan Halal Abattoir Complex, corned beef processing factory, and the feedlot centre. “All facilities are certified under Halal, MESTI, and HACCP standards, reflecting the company’s dedication to producing high-quality, hygienic, and traceable meat products for local and regional markets. “This engagement also underscored the importance of increasing Sarawak’s cattle SSL to reduce reliance on imported meat,” said the ministry, adding that it recognises the vital role of PPES Ternak in supporting the state’s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 and helping position Sarawak as a regional food hub. “The visit reaffirms the state government’s commitment to working closely with industry stakeholders to ensure that every household in Sarawak has access to safe, affordable, and sustainably sourced protein which is a cornerstone of building a resilient and food-secure future for the state,” it added. Accompanying Dr Rundi during the visit were his deputy minister Datuk Martin Ben and SEDC chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Husain.

LUBOK ANTU: The palm oil industry in Sarawak is becoming more sustainable, expanding beyond crude oil production to include high-potential downstream activities. This approach not only adds value to the industry but also contributes to increased income from the crop. Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, stated that the palm oil industry was initially focused solely on oil sales. However, advancements in palm oil technology now enable the production of biofuel for aircraft and animal feed. He emphasized that this initiative aligns with Sarawak’s circular economy development policy, which promotes material reuse to minimize excessive waste that could negatively impact the environment. “Sarawak is now heavily focusing on the ‘waste-to-energy’ industry, where waste is converted into renewable materials that can be sold in various product forms. “Earlier, I observed that we have two key by-products from palm fruit waste—biofuel and animal feed, including fertilizer,” he said. He made these remarks during the opening ceremony of the Kernel Crushing Plant (KCP) today. According to him, eco-friendly products now command premium prices in global markets, making this effort a new source of revenue for Sarawak. He reiterated that Sarawak places great emphasis on producing environmentally friendly products through circular economy practices, which convert waste into valuable downstream goods. In a separate development, Abang Johari, during a press conference after the event, encouraged farmers and livestock breeders in Sarawak to explore new ideas to enhance the value of existing commodities. He noted that if these initiatives are successfully implemented, Sarawak’s vision of increasing household incomes and becoming a leading exporter of agricultural and livestock products by 2030 could be realized. “Many of our farmers own around two hectares of land, and if their crops are unaffected, they could utilize the space between palm oil trees for livestock farming. “Currently, we no longer rely solely on grazing fields to feed livestock. Instead, alternative feed sources such as Napier grass mixed with palm oil waste are being used. “This will boost farmers’ incomes as they will have two new revenue streams—palm oil and livestock,” he explained. -UKAS