Johor's modern pig farming project may not take off

KOTA ISKANDAR: The modern pig farming project proposed by the Veterinary Services Department to the Johor state government last year may not proceed in the absence of a suitable location, the Johor State Legislative Assembly heard today.
State Agriculture, Agro-based Industry, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Committee chairman Ismail Mohamed said the project aims to address pollution and sensitive issues related to the animal.
"The project must be located far away from settlements and watersheds."
As an alternative, the Veterinary Services Department had suggested that a pig farming zone be created to group all the pig farms in the state.
"We will meet with all the pig farmers to discuss about establishing a consortium by the end of next year," he said winding up debate on his portfolio.
The cost of implementation and the location of the proposed pig farming zone would only be known after the consortium was established.
Ismail said that only 10 of the 47 pig farms in Johor had implemented the closed farming system to address the pollution problem .
Of the 10 pig farms, seven possessed certificates of Good Agricultural Practice (MyGAP) in line with the Good Animal Husbandry Practice (GAHP). — Bernama