KUCHING: Sarawak has enough cattle for Hari Raya Aidiladha which falls this Thursday (June 29), says Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi.
The state Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Minister said Sarawak needed 1,500 to 2,000 heads of cattle annually.
"This year, we have imported 1,300 cattle from Australia and 80 from Sabah, besides producing 500 cattle from local suppliers," he said in a statement on Tuesday (June 27).
Dr Rundi said Sarawak aimed to produce 10,000 heads of cattle annually by 2030 to reduce dependence on imports from Australia and Sabah.
"Sarawak cannot import cattle from Peninsular Malaysia and Indonesia due to the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)," he said, adding that the state was still recognised as FMD-free without vaccination by the World Organisation for Animal Health.
Dr Rundi also said the demand for sacrificial cattle was lower this year due to an increase in the price of cattle by more than 20%.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, he said, the price of cattle weighing 300kg to 350kg was about RM6,000 per head but this had now gone up to RM7,000, while cattle weighing 450kg to 500kg now fetched up to RM10,000 each.
Applications for exemption of slaughter permits for Aidiladha can be made at Divisional Veterinary Services offices.
The Veterinary Services Department's records showed that 1,639 cattle, 145 buffaloes and 116 goats were slaughtered last year.
