March 4, 2008

TADC seeking entrepreneur interest in aquaculture development project
 

Malaysian company Terengganu AgroTech Development Corporation Sdn Bhd (TADC) aims to increase Lake Kenyir's fish production capacity to 2,000 tonnes per annum by year-end.

Lake Kenyir currently produces 200 tonnes of fish per annum and TADC executive director Adnan Ghazali expressed his confidence in achieving the aim if more entrepreneurs would join in this development program.

A fish cage is able to produce a tonne of fish, depending on the species. If an entrepreneur is responsible for 10 participants in the program, with each participant farming 20 fish cages, then the entrepreneur would be in charge of 200 fish cages, said Adnan.

TADC has plans for 300 personnel, including entrepreneurs, to be involved in the Lake Kenyir aquaculture project, and the target is to boost fish production up to 6,000 tonnes per annum in the next three years.

The increase in production will allow more exports to countries like Singapore, Hong Kong and Europe, Adnan said.

TADC plans to export about 60 percent of its products, and that participants in the Lake Kenyir aquaculture project do not have to worry about marketing their fish, as it will be carried out by TADC, according to Adnan.

The aquaculture farms will be operated on a nucleus concept where the farms will be organised in groups and anchor companies will conduct contract farming which will give them economies of scale, Adnan said.

In addition, TADC is promoting tourism to supplement the income of the Lake Kenyir aquaculture farmers.

This program is pushed on by the East Coast Economic Region (ECER), and entrusted to TADC, a subsidiary of the government. The project is aimed towards creating new entrepreneurs as well as improving the income of the poor, the ECER stated.