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Sarawak looks to Danish pig farming system to boost production
Dr Rundi (front third right) and the Sarawak delegation visit the Breeding Pig Assembly Station in Tonder.
MIRI (Aug 20): Sarawak has conducted a strategic study mission to Denmark to boost the pig farming industry, which has been identified as a key driver for the state to become a net food exporter by 2030.
The move aims to drive Sarawak beyond the current model of live pig exports to Singapore and Selangor with a complete value-added production ecosystem.
'This visit studied the pig farming system in Denmark to formulate a strategy for the development of the pig farming industry in Sarawak,' said Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Minister Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom in a statement.
He said the nine-day fact-finding mission from Aug 8-17 sought to position Sarawak as a major food producer in the region.
The delegation, which included Deputy Minister for Modernisation of Agriculture and Regional Development II Datuk Martin Ben and Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak director Datu Dr Adrian Susin Ambud, focused on identifying investment opportunities that would transform the industry.
Sarawak currently exports 122,400 live pigs valued at RM197.6 million to Singapore but the ministry is looking to expand the pig production industry to RM1 billion in export value by 2030.
Learning from Denmark's success model, the mission explored investment opportunities across the entire pig production value chain, from breeding and farming to processing and export, positioning Sarawak to compete with established producers globally.
Dr Rundi said Denmark's pig industry serves as an ideal benchmark as it contributes 30 per cent to the country's agricultural sector with a population of 11.45 million pigs in 2024.
The Nordic nation exports 90 per cent of its production to 140 countries, demonstrating the potential for a well-developed pig industry to drive export revenues.
The Sarawak delegation visited six strategic facilities including Big Dutchmen for livestock equipment technology; DanBred headquarters for breeding expertise, modular slaughterhouse manufacturers; and Danish Crown's state-of-the-art processing facility in Horsens.
Key areas of study included advanced slaughter technology and best practices, disease prevention strategies for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and African Swine Fever (ASF), robotic technology applications in livestock farming, and modern pig breeding techniques.
The strategic shift represents a fundamental change from Sarawak's current approach of primarily exporting live pigs to developing a complete domestic pig industry ecosystem capable of producing value-added products for export.
This transformation would involve establishing modern breeding facilities, implementing advanced biosecurity measures, developing processing capabilities, and creating supply chain networks that could serve both domestic and international markets.
Dr Sussie William Ketit, adviser to the minister, facilitated the mission's arrangements and negotiations with Danish industry players, ensuring comprehensive knowledge transfer opportunities. Denmark Dr Stephen Rundi Utom lead pig farming industry
