Plan to build integrated and centralised pig farm
Posted on January 23, 2011, Sunday
SIBU: Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh said on Friday there was a plan to relocate the pig’s farms here to help farmers upgrade their business.
WORKING TOWARDS A WIN-WIN SITUATION: Wong (seated third left) and Ling (third right) with relevant authorities in the Friday meeting to identify a piece of land for the modern integrated and centralised pig farm in Central Sarawak.
Speaking to reporters after having met members of Sibu Livestock Farmers’ Association, he said these farmers had built their farms some 30 years ago in the outskirts of the town. He agreed there was an urgent need to set up an integrated and centralised pig farm to replace the existing farms. “Population has increased these few decades after these farms were built decades ago. Some of them are now located too close to the residential areas.” Wong, who is also Minister of Public Health and Environment, said this had sparked environmental concern, adding, with some farms built as early as the 1950s was difficult for farmers to expand their existing farms.
He admitted there were also difficulties for updated environment regulations to be implemented on these conventional farms. “There are more than 20 conventional pig farms in Sibu. We have to understand they are facing constraints and they have used up their land.” “Therefore, it is difficult to apply these new environment regulations,” he said. Citing an example of the environment constraint, Wong said there was no room in these chocked farms now to set up the bio gas treatment plant. In Kuching, he said this problem had been solved when a plot of 2,000 acres were set up for livestock farmers.
The minister said members of the livestock association were now working with the authorities on this.“Since last year, we have met at least thrice and we have thrashed out difficulties towards a win-win situation to set up the modern farm.” He said the authorities involved in this matter included the Land and Survey Department, Department of Environment, Agriculture Department and the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB).
He said identifying the land was in progress now, and when this was done, he (Wong) would need support letters from the various departments for the application of land for the integrated and centralised farm. Also present in the Friday meeting were members of the association led by chairman Ling Chi Kiong and representatives of the relevant departments.
Meanwhile, Ling told reporters they were working closely with the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism after pork was listed as a controlled item in the Chinese New Year celebration. He said there was no shortage in the pork supply, adding they would adhere to the gazetted price list of pork by the ministry.
