LENGGONG: The rich harvest of "ikan Loma", scientifically known as 'Thynnichthys thynnoides' from the Raban Lake and Perak River here has turned Lenggong into a hub for the production of "ikan pekasam (fermented fish).
For that, the National Fermentation Centre, which also houses the Fisheries Innovation, Demonstration and Transformation Centre (FIDTEC), was set up in 2010 and is now the focus for entrepreneurs who want to venture into the business.
In addition to housing a fermentation factory and an administrative office, the centre also houses six stalls which are run by residents selling fermented fish products.
Head of the National Fermentation Centre, Siti Norzahida Yusof said the centre had trained thousands of Malaysians on the best way to produce fermented products, as well as innovative products like tilapia fish satay and kebabs, as well as serunding pekasam.
"The courses offered are free. Participants are taught the right way to produce fermented products so that they can last longer," she told Bernama at the Basic Skills Improvement Programme for Fishery Product Processing involving 17 participants recently.
She said participants are taught the right way to clean the fish and the amount of salt to be used to avoid the product becoming rotten.
"The fermented fish is better packed using the vacuum method because they are able to protect the product from contamination by airborne microorganisms. This will ensure it lasts longer, especially if kept in the refrigerator," she said.
One of the participants, Muhammad Nur Arif Khairul Azhan, 25, who set up a pekasam business with his mother in Kampung Sungai Bayor, Selama, last March, said business had been good.
Prior to that, he said he had participated in several courses at the centre which helped him increase his knowledge and skills in the field.
"I used to suffer a loss of about RM2,000 after 100 kilogrammes of the Ikan Loma which I had fermented became rotten.
"Since then, I have focused on selling only fermented tilapia fish, which I catch myself in Bukit Merah," said Muhammad Nur Arif, who received assistance from the Rubber Industry Smallholder Development Authority (Risda) to start the business.
He said he was able to sell about 500 packets of his fermented fish products a month.
"The profit is not much as I have to fork out money for cleaning the fish which is RM1 per fish, as well as other ingredients, like salt and rice used to ferment the fish," he said, adding that the retail price for a packet of fermented fish is RM7.
Meanwhile, Sofiah Osman, 57, from Kuala Kurau, who is planning to expand her business which she opened in 2020, said she used salt-water fish such as gelama, kembung and selangat for her fermented products, instead of freshwater fish normally used by others.
"I get my supply of fish from fishermen in Jalan Pantai, Kuala Kurau," said Sofiah, who has also attended several courses at the centre to enhance her entrepreneurship skills. – Bernama
Keywords: National Fermentation Centre, Fisheries Innovation, Demonstration and Transformation Centre, FIDTEC, fermented fish, Lenggong, course