Tengku Gruna (third right) and SDNU Sibu members look at the tank holding the lobsters.
SIBU: Farming can bring a lucrative income as accountant-turned lobster farmer Effendy Halili found out.
Two years ago, Effendy resigned from his job as a bank accountant to start his own aquaponics lobster farm at his home in Alor Gajah, Malacca.
Currently, he is rearing no fewer than 1,000 lobsters that can sell at RM60 per kilogramme.
“I started lobster farming after bringing home some baby shrimps from Australia while visiting my in-laws there in 2012.
“I found the baby shrimps that I kept in a small tank were still alive after a few weeks,” Effendy told 13 Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) Sibu branch members who visited his home on Oct 17.
SDNU Sibu members led by branch chairman Tengku Gruna were on a visitation programme to West Malaysia.
Effendy said he started attending courses on lobster farming in Kuala Lumpur besides seeking information from relevant parties and doing his own research online.
Tengku Gruna (fourth right), Effendy (fourth left) and other SDNU Sibu members show the lobsters at the farm.
With his experience, he is regularly invited to conduct courses on lobster farming.
He is also the co-owner of a mill that produced lobster food.
“Lobster farming can be done at home. The lobsters can be put in a tank together with fish.
“Five to six months old lobsters can be harvested,” he explained.
Tengku Gruna said he planned to invite Effendy to conduct a course on lobster farming in Sarawak.
Fresh grilled lobsters served by Effendy to the visitors from Sarawak.