Tenom: Local small-scale pig farmers are set to receive direct government assistance through a feed aid programme aimed at reducing production costs, increasing output and helping stabilise pork prices.
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar said the initiative is intended to address a long-standing imbalance in government support for the livestock sector.
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“While cattle, goat, poultry and fish producers have long enjoyed assistance, pig farmers – especially those rearing 50 pigs or fewer – have been left out until now,” he said.
“We have assisted other livestock industries, but this sector was overlooked. Before this, we had never extended such support to pig farmers,” he added.
Jamawi said the Sabah Veterinary Department has been directed to allocate dedicated funds for the programme, which is expected to be implemented soon.
The move comes amid concerns over rising pork prices, particularly “sinalau bakas”, the popular traditional smoked wild boar meat, which now sells for almost RM47 per kg.
Supply shortages began about two years ago after wild boar hunting was banned due to disease concerns, a restriction that remains in force to allow wild boar populations to recover.
To help meet demand while local pig farming capacity is expanded, Jamawi said the State Government has approved six licensed importers to bring in pork from Denmark and Norway.
Each importer is permitted to import two containers monthly, resulting in about 10 containers entering Sabah regularly to help stabilise supply.
However, he stressed that imports are only a short-term measure and that strengthening local production remains the government’s priority.
“Feed assistance is the first major step towards achieving that goal,” he said.
