Bernama.com (Malaysian National News Agency), 29 October, 2006

Sabah On Track To Self-sufficiency In Livestock, Says Aussie Minister

KOTA KINABALU, Oct 29 (Bernama) -- The future of Sabah's cattle and buffalo industries are in good hands and well on track to achieving the target for self-sufficiency, says Chris Natt, the Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Mines, Northern Territory of Australia.

He said the Northern Territory government was pleased to have been able to assist Sabah towards achieving this goal.

With the establishment of the Meat Technology Centre in Kinarut, near here, the Northern Territory was well placed to supply the industry with live cattle and buffaloes, he said.

"We look forward to the continuation of this relationship and the growth of our respective livestock industries as a result of our ongoing collaboration," he said in his message in conjunction with the opening of the Mean Technology Centre by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman Monday.

Natt said the Northern Territory Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries and Mines and Sabah's Department of Veterinary Services and Animal Industries have been working closely to improve cattle production in Sabah since 2003.

He said the objective of the cooperation was to assist the Sabah government to increase self-sufficiency in domestic beef production.

"This is also part of the 9th Malaysia Plan to transform the agricultural sector into a modern, dynamic and competitive sector.

"To achieve this, Sabah needs to increase its capacity to breed good quality beef cattle and be capable of producing high quality beef in the state-of-art slaughter facilities," he said.

In support of this programme, its department had conducted training for staff of Sabah's Department of Veterinary Services and Animal Industries and private enterprises in best-practice management of breeder herds and intensive beef production, he added.

Meanwhile, Sabah's Minister for Agriculture and Food Industries Datuk Abdul Rahim Ismail, in his message, said setting up of the Meat Technology Centre was in line with the state government's blueprint to prioritise agriculture, tourism and manufacturing sectors.

The centre project began in 2003 and was completed recently. It is an integrated facility consisting of slaughtering and processing of cattle, buffaloes, goats, sheep, deer, camels, horses and ostriches and training on meat-related activities.

-- BERNAMA