TELUK INTAN, March 28 — Edible bullfrog meat, which is popular in Chinese cuisine, has provided a Perak family with a steady livelihood for more than three decades.

Chong Zheng Xian, 27, who helps his father run their frog farming business in Kampung Chui Chak, said it was established on a small scale in the mid-1990s by his father, a former construction worker in Kuala Lumpur. What began modestly has since grown significantly, driven by strong demand for the meat.

The farm, which started with just 100 ponds, now has more than 500 one-metre ponds to meet the demand not only from the local Malaysian Chinese community but also from neighbouring Singapore.

“Demand tends to surge during festive seasons and weekends,” Chong told Bernama, adding that frog meat is commonly served in dishes such as porridge or traditional herbal soups, which are popular in both Malaysia and Singapore.

“We harvest twice a week to ensure a steady supply of frog meat for both the local and export markets. Prices range between RM25 and RM30 per kilogramme, depending on the current demand.”

The Teluk Intan-born entrepreneur, who started assisting his father on the farm five years ago, said the frogs are given vitamin supplements to ensure optimal health and quality. 

He said the amphibians take between seven and eight months to reach maturity, with each weighing about 250 to 300 grammes. Each pond can yield between 700 and 1,400 kilogrammes per week.

“About 400 ponds are dedicated to frogs aged three to eight months, while the rest are used for eggs and tadpoles, which require close monitoring to ensure optimal production.

“It’s crucial to place the larger frogs in separate ponds as they may eat the eggs or younger ones, which would affect overall yield,” he said.

Some frogs aged three to four months are also marketed as bait or feed for ornamental fish, with weekly demand estimated at between 4,000 and 6,000 frogs.

According to Chong, demand for this segment is also strong and it serves as an important revenue stream to support operating costs and sustain the family business.

Looking ahead, he said they plan to increase the number of ponds to boost production capacity and meet growing demand from both local and Singaporean markets.

He added that his experience working on the farm has given him valuable, hands-on exposure to the overall management and operations of the farm, which has four workers who help maintain the ponds and feed the frogs. 

“Expanding this business requires substantial capital investment, careful management and trained labour to ensure each pond is properly maintained and our frogs are of high quality,” he said. — Bernama