KOKINA wants to be the main broiler chicken supplier in Sabah

21 April 2024

Nabalu News Journalist

PAPAR: The Koperasi Kinabalu Lestari Berhad (KOKINA) is a cooperative that deals in broiler chicken production. It is located in Kg Mook Kinarut Papar. The chicken coop is currently in the final stages of construction of its roofed building, which will soon house approximately 10,000 chickens bred for meat production.

KOKINA aims to become one of the market contenders in the broiler chicken sector. The farm is conveniently sited near a chicken farm for eggs production and an abattoir.

According to the spokesperson and chairman of KOKINA, Dennison Indang, the cooperative plans to start operations in the third quarter of 2024. Initially, there will be two full-time employees involved in the day-to-day operations of the cooperative.

The cooperative is headed by three board members. Dennison Indang serves as the chairperson, Patrick Epin as the secretary, and Benjamin Taine as the treasurer. In addition to the board members, the administration team includes Jalbit Jaudin, Dominic M Lansing, and Ervynna Shannon Benjamin.

KOKINA was registered on May 12, 2023, and currently boasts 41 members. Each member is required to have a minimum share capital of RM10,000. As of now, the cooperative has collected RM396,500 in share capital.

“Our main objective of opening this cooperative is to enhance the economic status of members through their primary engagement in chicken farming is a key initiative aimed at bolstering food security in Sabah State. The venture also took into consideration that in 2023 there were only 21 cooperatives involved in chicken farming out of the 15, 315 cooperatives in the country.”

KOKINA is in the right path towards resolving the shortage of supply in the country, he stressed adding that he was pleased with the development thus far.

"We have conducted thorough research and gained approval for implementation from our members during the general meeting. Additionally, we have already secured ready buyers for our products.

“We are proud to be the first cooperative in Sabah to implement a closed house system for broiler chicken production. This system ensures better control over the environment, resulting in higher-quality chicken,” he said.

Dennison further added, “Our cooperative is committed to addressing the increasingly critical issue of food security in Sabah. With our current coop in operation, we are actively considering the construction of another coop in a different location that has already been identified. This expansion plan reflects our dedication to continuously grow and contribute significantly to the production of chicken meat in Sabah.”

“We are exploring the establishment of additional business units as outlined in our incorporation, including construction and supplies, event management, and training services. These ventures will complement our existing operations and allow us to diversify our offerings to better serve our community," he enthused.

With the opening of the broiler chicken farm, the operators’ enthusiasm and ready target market, the chicken farm may yet become the leading producer and supplier of chicken in the State.

The Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Datuk Ewon Benedick visited the site recently and lauded the effort and commitment of the cooperative members.