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KUCHING (March 22): A high-level delegation from the Sarawak Ministry of Food Industry, Commodity, and Regional Development (M-Ficord) recently embarked on a working visit to Brazil to explore its cattle-farming industry.
The visit, held from March 8 to 18, was organised by the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) Sarawak and led by M-Ficord Minister Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom.
According to a statement from M-Ficord, the trip aimed to study Brazil’s advanced cattle-farming system and develop a strategic plan to strengthen Sarawak’s livestock industry. The state currently relies on cattle imports from Australia and New Zealand.
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“Sarawak’s cattle population stands at only 22,000 head. Our goal is to increase this number to 80,000, achieving a self-sufficiency level of 25 per cent by 2030, compared to the current 15 per cent,” the statement read.
Learning from Brazil’s Beef Industry Success
Brazil is known for having the world’s second-largest cattle population, with approximately 226 million cattle. The country’s beef exports reached 2.89 million tonnes in 2024, generating revenue of US$12.8 billion.
M-Ficord highlighted that Brazil’s success in the beef industry is due to its large-scale cattle population, efficient farming techniques, and strong global export market. The industry is regulated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply (Mafa) and spearheaded by the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA).
The dominant cattle breed in Brazil is the Zebu (Nelore), which makes up 80 per cent of the total cattle population. Brazil is also working towards achieving Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) free status from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), which will further strengthen its global meat exports. The country is already free from African Swine Fever (ASF) and Avian Influenza (AI), with around 50,000 veterinary doctors ensuring high biosecurity standards.
Key Takeaways for Sarawak
During the visit, the Sarawak delegation inspected poultry and cattle slaughterhouses that have applied for meat export approval to Malaysia. They also assessed Brazil’s ruminant industry, its FMD and ASF status, and explored cattle breeding technology, particularly focusing on the Zebu breed.
Among the delegation members were Deputy Minister of International Trade and Investment Datuk Dr Malcom Mussen, M-Ficord permanent secretary Datu Sirai Daha, DVS Sarawak director Datu Dr Adrian Susin, Economic Planning Unit director Datu Lester Mathew, Agriculture Department Sarawak director Dominic Chunggat, and Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) general manager Joseph Blandoi.
With valuable insights from Brazil, Sarawak is set to develop a more competitive and sustainable cattle industry to reduce reliance on imports and enhance food security.