FG Multifarm Aims To Be Regional Goat Supplier
By Caroline Jackson
KUCHING, July 1 (Bernama) -- FG Multifarm today received a
consignment of 1,000 live goats -- the first large air consignment of
live Australian goats by a Sarawakian breeder -- direct from Sydney.
The Mukah farm that also breeds cattle and grows vegetables and maize
on a five-acre site at Km 28 of the Mukah-Baligian coastal highway has
been in the goat business since 2006.
Its sole proprietor Jeli Bohari Biha said FG Multifarm went direct to
Australia to import the goats which produce good meat, adapt well to
the Malaysian climate and can grow up to 70-80 kg per animal, because
there was not enough local supply.
"We can actually be a regional supplier of both live goats and goat
meat as well as for the halal market in the Middle East, and we have
achieved this to a certain extent with the Brunei market asking for
more," he said at the Kuching International Airport's Malaysian
Airlines cargo complex here.
He said that with Mukah division being turned into a halal hub under
the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy initiative, his animal farm
was well positioned to complement the government's efforts besides
providing training courses for new animal breeders from throughout the
state.
"These events are conducted on our farm with help from Agrobank and the
Chief Minister's Office (Entrepreneurship Development Division)," he
said, adding that FG Multifarm hoped to obtain more state land to
enable it to start grazing the animals.
As an anchor farm and mentor, he was confident that FG Multifarm would play a pivotal role in helping smallholders.
"For me, this is important. FG Multifarm alone, cannot supply the local
demand. The cake is big and we can share the cake with more people. The
more people become involved in this industry, the better it is and over
time we can develop our own goat meat supply and ensure our food supply
security," said Jeli.
He said 16 new animal breeders who had attended his apprenticeship
programme would each receive 20 goats from the shipment that would be
delivered directly to Tanjung Manis, Mukah, from here.
-- BERNAMA