Prabowo vows to expand productive pond farms across regions
We are developing 2,000 hectares of pond in Waingapu, 65 hectares here, 200 hectares in GorontaloJakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto reaffirmed the government’s commitment in scaling up the development of productive pond farms projects nationwide, following his inspection at the Area-Based Shrimp Farm (BUBK) in Kebumen, Central Java, on Saturday.
“We are developing 2,000 hectares of pond in Waingapu, 65 hectares here, 200 hectares in Gorontalo, and 14 hectares in Pantura (North Coast Area) route in West Java,” he said.
Unlike the pond cultivation here in Kebumen, which focused on shrimp farming, Prabowo explained such project in North Coast will focus on fish farming.
The diversification aims to support each region in maximizing its contribution in providing animal protein sources for both domestic and international markets.
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Prabowo conveyed the pond cultivation project expansion is a strategic effort to create jobs, generate added value, and increase foreign exchange through food exports.
According to him, the productivity concept in national development now has well-defined parameters, where a project is considered productive if it can bring more jobs, generate added value, strengthen national wealth, and increase public income.
Prabowo also elaborated the Kebumen BUBK’s performance, which now is able to produce 40 tons per hectare, with a market price of Rp70 million (US$3,851) per ton as a tangible example of productivity.
Therefore, the government is currently accelerating the development of similar projects in several regions to optimise the potential of national natural resources.
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The Kebumen shrimp farm project, located in Tegal Retno Village, Petanahan Sub-district, is a national strategic project built during the 2022-2023 period.
The 100-hectare area currently operates 65 hectares of land equipped with a seawater intake system, 139 production ponds, and integrated waste-water treatment facilities.
Nowadays, the area has become a driving force for the regional economy, employing 145 permanent workers and 500 casual workers daily, and has also become a model for the modernisation of national shrimp farming.
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Translator: Aditya Ramadhan, Resinta Sulistiyandari