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| Tiger Grouper Juveniles. Photo: Mahmud Ismail |
Sometimes in May 2008, The Star Online reported the successful venture of Global Hi-Q Bio-Tech (M) Sdn Bhd (GHQBT) in indoor Tiger Grouper farming in Pulau Pangkor, Perak. I sincerely love to share such news for our aquaculture industry especially when it involved grouper species. The venture, which has at the time of reporting entered into Phase Two with completion of its RM13mil nursery. I like what being mentioned by Johnson Chang, Managing Director of GHQBT, "The thing about Malaysia is that it is simply the perfect spot to breed this kind of fish” and he added "Malaysia’s suitability for the venture, was due to its geographical location and climate conditions". Yes, I fully agree with Johnson's statement. We enjoy such a stable climate for growing the grouper fishes and strategic location to the market places.  |
| Pangkor Island where the said project being located: Map Source: malsingmaps.com |
The company also announced the usage of ecological re-circulating aquaculture system (ERAS), the technology which they claim as their secret to success behind indoor fish farming. While RAS is now getting popularity among our local fish farming community, I hope ERAS will enrich our aquaculture technology development in this country and hopefully there will be technological transfer to the local farmers.
I like the most of Johnson's further statements on the investment; "Global Hi-Q could secure a high net profit of between 44% and 52% and a stable return on investment of between 24% and 34%. With these figures, earnings can go up to RM500mil in just five years”. I hope our financial institutions will look up at his figures as an indicator how viable and bankable this industry can be should it be managed properly in all aspects especially with technology, expertise and good management practises.
Another point in the report that I love to share is the company intent to develop 100 local entrepreneurs in their technology. The same report said that then Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Noh Omar, (now Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister) during the launch of the nursery, gave his approval for 10 entrepreneurs to enter into the training programme under the company. “Those selected will be given RM300,000 loans each from MARA, with Global Hi-Q agreeing to stand as guarantor. The participants will get to manage their own fish farms which can produce about 20,000 metric tonnes of fish fry annually,” said Noh. I do hope the Minister will be able to look into the progress and extent more helps to those fish farmers since most of the activity is now under his own ministry. At the same time, perhaps the Minister can also consider the same arrangement to other proven local companies that might want to bring along their own vendor farmers in their successful ventures.
En. Mahmud, thank you for your effort in maintaining, updating and bringing us this wealth of knowledge in the grouper farming industry. I look forward to reading your next posting and would like to know if there are any commercially viable RAS growout farms for groupers that are being run by our local farmers here in Malaysia.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your interest on this subject. As for commercially viable grouper growout using RAS system, I personally think it is too early to see a successful result. However, the system have been commercially tested using other species such as seabass, jelawat, kelah, tilapia and also jade perch. Overall, the know-how on the system itself still very low. Based on my discussion with some of the user of RAS in Malaysia, they hardly know basic terms in RAS such as total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) balance, mass balance analysis, oxygen mass balance, solid mass balance and even the specific surface area (SSA) of their biofilters plus how big SSA required to allow complete nitrifying process of the dissolve waste in the water. Perhaps, they depend so much on their consultant to design their system or accept anything being said by the seller. We have long way to go but I like the fact that we have taken the first step.
ReplyDeleteEn Mud kat mana mung duk bela ikang nie sound interesting to venture into... ada ker projek macang nie di sebelah kkapung ambe di mersing or Dungung....
ReplyDeleteAmbe la ni berkapong kat Pahang! Kat Mersing nung rasa tak dok lagi jenis RAS ni. Kat lek lek Besuk ambe nampok gok la orang guna RAS ni, tapi la ni hanya untuk deder anok ikang kakap dang sikik2 anok kerapu. 100% guna RAS ni ambe juppe dalang ternokang ikang jelawat dang tilapia.. kat Semenyih.
ReplyDeletekat Pahang tu mmana En Mud ramai wareh waroh ambe tu.. kebetulang kalu gi belah alik nung bole gak singgah tengok... ambe dok tengok di Mersing jalang nak gi Air Papang ada dua tiga butir kolang terbiar ingat nak suruh pak uda ambe kira tengok kalu bole sewa ker guana,,, en Mud bole tolong ke kalu nak start.....
ReplyDeleteKuk2 kite ni wareh waroh gok? Nanti ambe buak pengumungmang bile ambe doh ready nak tunjuk ke orang tempat ambe nih. Ambe rase tahu gok kolang kat jalang gi ke Air Papang tu. Rasenye kala untuk nursing anok krapu dang kakap comel la. Faham ambe la, lepas abih banjir ni banyok la anok krapu kat kawasang panta depang tu. Bab tolong tu, kira bereh! Gi la gok tengok2 kengkawang buat projek gitu kat alek Setiu nung!
ReplyDeletemolek sangat la tuu En Mud... ada jugak gi kat orang bela belah alik nung. Tapi tengok saja jer laa ambe dok reti sangat pasai bela ikang ni... kalu mukat dalang insyaallah berasa ingat lagi... lama dah jugok dak turung kelaut jok jual muto ngang pukat... org tua dok rok cari awok pung payoh... doh keturunang orang kelaut nak wak guana nok tengok ikang jugok
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