MUKAH: Crab breeder and entrepreneur Zulkipli Aziz is excited over Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s Budget 2016 announcement last October that the district was going to have a new airport.
“When it is completed, I can market my produce to more places within and outside the state at a lower cost and obtain choice crab seed without having to worry about costly logistics,” he said.
Zulkipli, 46, from Kampung Penat, Oya in the Dalat constituency, about 20 kilometres from here, ventured into the crab industry 10 years ago.
He said each breeding square could churn out about 300 crabs while the grow-out period takes two to five months.
“The demand for soft-shelled crab and mud crab is very high. They sell for RM50 and RM20 per kilogram, respectively,” he told Bernama, adding, he could supply about 200 kilogram monthly.
“They sell out in no time and bookings are made even before my crabs are ready for the market,” he said.
On the 11th Sarawak state election, Zulkipli hoped the state government and new Dalat assemblyman would support crab entrepreneurs in the constituency particularly in the aspect of quality improvement and marketing.
Meanwhile, Fisheries district chief Muhamad Idham Legiman told Bernama when met, that the Marine Fisheries department was drawing up a programme to redevelop the crab industry.
He said through the ‘Projek Bimbingan Akuakultur Ternakan dan Penggemukkan Ketam’, the department would assist potential crab breeders to kick start their endeavour by providing technical guidance and equipment.
On the latter, he said the aid would not be in the form of cash but wood, to construct the pond made up of squares.
Muhamad Idham said there are presently only two crab farmers in the district.
“Their annual output is 1.45 metric tonnes which can only meet demand in Mukah and Bintulu.
“This year, we hope to create 10 crab farmers and targeting an output of three metric tonnes to meet statewide demand,” he said.
Mukah district, located about 600 kilometres from Kuching City is famous among the local community for its ‘umai ikan’ and sago-based food products.
With the redevelopment of the crab industry by the state marine fisheries department, it would be ‘crabs galore!’ in Mukah, which would surely attract seafood enthusiasts to the area, aside from boosting the local economy. --BERNAMA