No 1 prawns producer in 5 years
Kota Kinabalu: Sabah will become probably the nation’s biggest producer of prawns (shrimps) worth RM3 billion yearly that will contribute around RM1.5 billion to the Gross National Income by 2020.
This follows the RM1.12b invested by four pioneering companies to spur the shrimp aquaculture project, with 30 per cent of the total value contributed by the Federal Government.
State Agriculture and Food Industry Assistant Minister Datuk Bobby Ahfang Suan told Kapayan Assemblyman Edwin Bosi at the State Assembly, Wednesday, that Sabah is one of the biggest recipients of government funds to develop its aquaculture sub-sector under the NKEA-Agriculture Programme.
“The four companies were appointed and approved by the government to receive funding under the Entry Point Project for integrated ponds shrimp rearing in Sabah,” he said.
They are Syarikat Sunlight Inno Seafood Sdn Bhd that invested RM963.64m on 2,200 hectares in Pitas, Syarikat KB Aquaculture (RM21.73m on 40.44ha in Kota Belud), Pegagau Aquaculture Sdn Bhd (RM77.01m in Tawau) and QL Aquamarine Sdn Bhd (RM56m on 243ha in Kudat.
“The price of white shrimp in the estate is between RM25 and RM28 per kg. Taking into account the estimated production of these four companies of about 110,870 tonnes until 2020.”
Bobby said project developers are required to come up with their own investment funds prior to developing their integrated project, including building the rearing ponds and creating hatchery centre and plant to process the shrimps.
The integrated implementation of the projects through Blue Ocean Strategy and Blue Economy approach will ensure the creation of job opportunities to locals. The four companies would be able to create 4,351 jobs in various categories once the projects are completed.
“In 2013, Sabah produced around 11,700 tonnes worth RM187.1 million of white shrimp while in 2014, production increased to 18,900 tonnes worth RM321.08m, a drastic increase of 38 per cent.
“This year, production will continue to rise to more than 30,000 metric tonnes with the increased production of the four pioneering companies,” he said.
Meanwhile, Special Tasks Minister Datuk Teo Chee Kang said strong commitment from all members of the Bimp-Eaga as well as private sector is needed to realise the vision of the four-nation coalition in implementing its five strategic initiatives.
“The implementation of these initiatives is very important because Bimp-Eaga is one of the critical building blocks to realise the Asean Economic Community (AEC),” he said when replying to Bongawan Assemblyman Mohamad Alamin.
The coalition, aimed to narrow the development gap between Asean countries, comprises Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, has a long term objective of developing the Bimp-Eaga region that has about 70 million population.
“Bimp-Eaga also aims to increase trade, tourism and investment within and outside of Bimp-Eaga and has the role to ease the mobility of the population, goods and services, develop efficient public infrastructure and ensure effective natural resource management and utilise fully the economic strength of Bimp-Eaga member nations,” he said.
Since its establishment, Teo said the coalition had successfully increased air connectivity between member nations, developed ICT sector such as the ICT Rural Outreach Programme, established the Bimp-Eaga Unit on Tourism Development in UMS with the aim of transforming it into an excellence centre in tourism development research and the Heart of Borneo programme, managed by Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and NGOs to conserve the biodiversity resources in Bimp-Eaga, especially in Borneo.
Source: Daily Express
