Governor Iqbal Rolls Out Red Carpet for Shrimp Farm Investors in NTB

West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Governor Lalu Muhamad Iqbal is rolling out the red carpet for shrimp farm investors as part of efforts to accelerate downstream industrialisation in Bumi Gora. He made the statement before business actors and the Shrimp Club Indonesia (SCI) Lombok Chapter. Iqbal said NTB is striving to become an investor-friendly province, while emphasising that the fisheries industry must still pay attention to environmental sustainability. “Do not doubt our commitment to advancing the fisheries industry in our region. We are aware that you are in business not for social purposes, but we want you to profit, the community to be happy, and the environment to remain protected,” Iqbal said during a gathering and discussion on shrimp farm downstreaming at the Aston Inn Mataram Hotel on Friday (19/6/2026). “I can guarantee that for the next four years we will not issue any provincial regulations that are unfriendly to investors,” he added. Iqbal believes downstream processing is necessary so that NTB’s fishery products are not only sold raw, but are processed and can be exported directly from NTB. According to him, this step will significantly increase added value as well as regional revenue. “For this business to be sustainable, we also need sustainability. We do not want to earn money now, but tomorrow everything dies because the environment is damaged. We want shrimp farms to coexist with tourism,” he added. Head of the NTB Marine and Fisheries Office, Muslim, added that the provincial government is currently drafting a regional regulation as a derivative of the national strategic policy on downstreaming. Muslim said the provincial government is providing 100 hectares of land around the Lombok International Airport area for shrimp downstreaming. “To accelerate licensing, an integrated team is being formed to cut through licensing bureaucracy so that investment can proceed more quickly,” Muslim said. Chairman of Shrimp Club Indonesia, Andi Tamsil, welcomed the provincial government’s move. Andi said regulatory certainty is a crucial factor for shrimp farm entrepreneurs. “So far, the shrimp sector’s contribution has not fully provided maximum added value in the regions. Therefore, we need to ensure that the economic benefits continue to circulate within the region,” Andi said. A similar sentiment was expressed by Chairman of SCI Lombok Chapter, Suryadi Adinata. He hopes that a conducive investment climate, simplified permits, and a focus on downstreaming will be able to address the global challenges facing the shrimp farming industry. “With solid collaboration between the government and business actors, NTB is optimistic it can become a key player in the national shrimp industry while boosting competitiveness in the global market,” Suryadi said.