Wong (left) being briefed by Lo on crab-farming. — Bernama photo
SANDAKAN: Sabah is set to be a serious player in deep sea crab commercialisation with its first crab hatchery centre near here successfully breeding promising numbers.
State Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Datuk Junz Wong said the centre, which is run by Bahvest Resources Bhd and launched in May at Sungai Kayu near here, was able to hatch more than half a million crab fingerlings of three species – giant mud crab, flower crab and rock crab.
“Thanks to Bahvest Resources’ managing director Datuk Lo Fui Ming on his efforts, we can expect to finally savour quality home-bred crabs at an affordable price in four or five months time,” he told reporters on his visit to the centre yesterday.
In terms of commercialising Sabah’s crabs, Wong said the current focus was to meet local market demand, including the Peninsular.
Gradually, he added, Sabah’s crabs would be exported to other countries such as Singapore and China.
“With this success, more farmers will have the opportunity to venture into crab-farming.
“The state government also hopes to assist villagers, unemployed graduates and youths in crab-farming so that they can increase their income and contribute towards producing an ample supply of crabs for the local and overseas markets,” he said.
According to Wong, the government through Bahvest Resources is currently working on breeding mud crabs in a five-acre mangrove area near the centre.
Meanwhile, Lo said crab fingerlings between 20-25 days old would be transferred to Bahvest Resources’ crab farm at the coastline of Silam in Lahad Datu to mature, which takes about four or five months. — Bernama