Family members gather around a makeshift table to remove the shells of prawns at the smoked prawns processing site.
BELAWAI: The Borneo Post Adventure Team (BAT) journalists explored further into the town of Belawai on their fourth day to better understand its fishery industry, with most of the catch supplied to nearby towns and districts.
Kua Yew Swan, one of the prawn suppliers here, said that he starts his day as early as 4am everyday to supply prawns to the markets in Sibu.
Kua shows the prawns caught to BAT journalists.
“After sending prawns to Sibu markets, I will come back to the prawn processing site and prepare for the next catch which arrives in the afternoon,” he said when met by BAT journalists yesterday.
He said his family-owned prawn processing and supplying business has been in the industry for more than 30 years and he had taken over the baton from his father.
He also said that his employees would keep the prawns frozen for delivery after the fishermen return from sea.
“In the old days, we were able to harvest about eight tonnes of prawns per day but it has now declined to about two tonnes a day,” he said.
Once the shells are removed the prawns would only weigh half of their original weight, Kua said.
February, March and April are usually the peak prawn fishing season.
“Customers are very particular about the freshness of the prawns now. As long as our catch is fresh, they are willing to pay whatever price you charge.”
Besides, Kua’s prawn processing site also provides part-time jobs to students around the area in helping him with the removal of prawn shells.
“Sometimes, headmasters would even visit my production site just to make sure their students are not partaking in any unhealthy activities,” he joked while admitting he helps in keeping watch over the behaviour of students who worked for him.
Jamilah with the freshly produced smoked prawns.
Meanwhile, BAT journalists also visited a ‘udang salai’ also known as ‘smoked prawn’ production site here to see first-hand the processing of the priced products.
It was revealed that one kilogramme of smoked prawns can be sold at about RM120 at markets located in Sarikei district.
According to a member of one of the families working at the smoked prawn production site, Jamilah Abu Bakar, the family-owned business can process up to 200 kilogrammes of prawns a day.
Prawns freshly harvested from the sea will have their shells removed first before being rinsed through with warm water.
Once the shell-less prawns have been rinsed through with warm water, they will be arranged neatly on wooden trays before finally being put by the fire at 45 degrees Celsius to dry.
The exploration of Belawai has convinced BAT journalist that the lifestyle of the community here still revolves closely around the fishery industry.
The shelled prawns are put by the side of the fire at 45 degrees Celsius.