Screenshot shows Sawit Kinabalu’s cattle farming project. — Screenshot from sawitkinabalu.com.my
SANDAKAN (April 7): Sawit Kinabalu Group expects an integrated cattle breeding centre, which it is developing in Balung, Tawau, to increase Sabah’s self-sufficiency level for beef in the next four years.
Group managing director Datuk Bacho Jansie said the RM47 million project is targeted to raise the livestock population farmed by Sawit Kinabalu — a state government investment arm — from about 15,000 now to about 50,000.
“Sawit Kinabalu has long been involved in cattle farming (under subsidiary Sawit Kinabalu Farm Products Sdn Bhd). We see a huge potential — for Sawit Kinabalu to seriously immerse itself in the effort to grow the halal beef production business, it needs to expand to 40,000 or 50,000 heads of cattle for the purpose of commercialisation.
“To achieve this target, Sawit Kinabalu must provide the animals with a quality but low-cost diet,” he told reporters after the group’s breaking fast ceremony here last night.
Bacho said that among the corporation’s efforts to provide these animal feeds are the cultivation of Napier grass, with the first phase involving a total planted area of about 400ha; the processing of cattle feed from coconuts and oil palm leaves; as well as tapioca cultivation.
According to him, the beef produced using the halal concept will be channeled to the local market in view of Sabah currently importing as much as 95 per cent of its beef requirements.
“In order to increase the cattle population swiftly, we may import 1,000 or 2,000 heads of cattle from Australia,” he added.
On a separate development, Bacho announced that Sawit Kinabalu recently paid more than RM8 million in zakat on business income to the Sabah Islamic Business Council (MUIS) after making a profit of over RM300 million in 2021.
Last year, Sawit Kinabalu paid business zakat amounting to more than RM3.5 million.
“In conjunction with the Ramadan month, we also wish to share our earnings with several select organisations in areas where Sawit Kinabalu operates as part of our corporate social responsibility towards the local communities,” he added.
The contribution totalling RM100,000 was presented to 10 organisations involved in caring for orphans, senior citizens and persons with disabilities in Tawau, Lahad Datu, and Sandakan this week. — Bernama