Fish breeding center inaugurated in Batam<\/p>\n
Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam<\/p>\n
The Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Rokhmin Dahuri,
\ninaugurated on Saturday a fish breeding center in Batam, Riau, in
\na bid to meet an increasing demand for fresh grouper (a type of
\nfish) from Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as on the domestic
\nmarket.<\/p>\n
Minister Rokhmin said that the government expected that the
\ncenter, which is equipped with sophisticated technology and
\nlaboratory, would boost the production of quality grouper.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, he said, had failed to apply technology in its
\nagriculture sector, leaving it one step behind many other
\ndeveloping countries.<\/p>\n
"The demand for fresh grouper from Hong Kong and Singapore has
\nbeen increasing. We hope that this center will be able to
\ndisseminate the technology involved in grouper breeding to the
\nprivate sector so that we can raise both the quality and quantity
\nof the grouper we produce," Rokhmin told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Singapore imported some 3,400 tons of live grouper from
\nIndonesia in 2000, and 7,750 tons in 2001, while the Hong Kong
\nmarket imports 10,000 tons from Indonesia every year.<\/p>\n
Both markets require tiger groupers (Epinephelus
\nfuscoguttatus), with each fish weighing about two kilograms and
\nworth between Rp 500,000 and Rp 750,000.<\/p>\n
The Rp 20 billion fish breeding center, named the Loka
\nBudidaya Laut, is located on Setoko Island, Batam. It stands on a
\n5.5-hectare site and consists of breeder sites, fingerling pools
\nand laboratories, and is managed by the Ministry of Maritime
\nAffairs and Fisheries.<\/p>\n
At least 37 researchers will work in the breeding center, the
\nconstruction of which was originally started in 1994. Its
\ndevelopment then stalled until the government resurrected the
\nproject in 2002.<\/p>\n
Apart from tiger groupers, it is also expected to focus on
\nvarious other species of grouper, including rat groupers
\n(Cromileptes altivelis), sunuk groupers (Plectropomus spp), mud
\ngroupers (Epinephelus tauvina) and white groupers (Lates
\ncalcalifer).<\/p>\n
Separately, Batam Mayor Nyat Kadir said that the Batam
\nadministration had also developed a grouper breeding center on
\nnearby Nguan Island with assistance from the technology and
\nresearch ministry. The center had harvested some 500 tons of
\ntiger grouper in November last year.<\/p>\n
Recently, the maritime and fisheries ministry also inaugurated
\nan ornamental fish farm in Cibinong, West Java, which is said to
\nbe the largest in the country.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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