THE aquaculture sector in Sarawak is poised for rapid development in the endeavour to make Sarawak a net exporter of food by 2030.
Food Industry, Commodity, and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said the ministry is accelerating the development of the inland fisheries sector through the shrimp belt, empurau belt and tapah belt.
He said the development of the Loba Stoh Aquaculture Park at Rambungan Aquaculture Industrial Zones (AIZ) is set to become the Shrimp Belt of Sarawak.
To date, he said, the project is in its final stage of design and is expected to commence in the third quarter of 2024.
“To spur the development of Loba Stoh Aquaculture Park, the government has allocated a sum of RM52 million to upgrade the existing infrastructure and utilities in this zone park, which include the construction of a new road network, surface water drainage, an electricity substation and water supply.
“The upgraded infrastructure and the availability of utilities in this park will boost greater investment from the industry players,” he said during his ministerial winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) on Tuesday (Nov. 28).
Rundi said the State Farmers Organisation (PPNS), together with a leading local shrimp farm company, is currently developing 298 hectares of land for shrimp production at Loba Stoh in Rambungan AIZ.
“The first phase of the project is expected to produce 100 metric tonnes of shrimp worth RM1.8 million by the end of 2024.
“Upon the completion of the whole project by 2027, the company is expected to produce 800 metric tonnes, projected to be worth RM14 million,” he added.
For the Empurau Belt, Rundi said the Department of Agriculture (DOA) Sarawak is establishing the Kapit Indigenous Fish Hatchery Centre in Song.
Additionally, he said they are transforming the Engkuah Agriculture Station in Katibas, Song, into a satellite Inland Fisheries Station for Research and Development and Extension Centre focused on indigenous fish species.
As for Tapah Belt, he affirmed that DOA Sarawak is currently collecting Tapah master breeders from Binyo upriver.
“The master breeder will be domesticated and developed for tapah fry production at the Kemena Tapah Research and Development Centre at the Sg. Sebiew Agriculture Training Centre,” he said.
