DALAT: The Dalat Division has great potential from resources such as fertile land, agricultural produce, as well as a large amount of agro-industrial waste such as oil palm kernel bagasse, bagasse waste, rice bran and fruit waste, which can be utilised as animal feed.

Sarawak Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister and Dalat Assemblywoman, Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, urged cooperators to seize this opportunity because Malaysia is still dependent on corn and soybean imports, which has caused agricultural operating costs to increase.

She said the price of chicken feed now covers 70 per cent of the cost of farming and has increased from RM500 to RM2,500 per tonne in a few years.

"Take the opportunity to produce livestock feed locally using available resources," he said during the launch of the Knowledge Talk Programme organised by the Malaysian Cooperative Institute (IKMa) Sarawak Zone which focuses on business opportunities in providing livestock feed, held at the Jalan Welfare Complex, Dalat on Sunday.

She expressed confidence that local products can compete with imported prices and quality.

Meanwhile, she also welcomed the collaboration between 44 cooperatives in Mukah Division and more than 1,200 cooperatives throughout Sarawak to explore opportunities for the development of livestock feed in Dalat District.

Dato Sri Fatimah also highlighted the success of the Dalat Sustainable Cooperative which has converted yam (teparuh) into organic fertiliser, livestock feed, and Black Soldier Fly products as an example of an innovative model that can be emulated by other cooperatives.

Also present were the Director of the Malaysian Cooperative Institute Sarawak Zone Siti Maimunah Jerni and the Director of the Edok Sibu Berhad Cooperative Zaidil Arip.- UKASnews