GEORGE TOWN, Sept 5 — Angkatan Koperasi Kebangsaan Malaysia Berhad (ANGKASA) in Penang is collaborating with Asia Aquaculture Holding Sdn Bhd to explore whiteleg shrimp farming in the state.

ANGKASA president Datuk Abdul Fattah Abdullah said, at the outset, the project involved 21 co-operatives under ANGKASA in Penang.

The co-operatives would be carrying out the shrimp farming activities on land owned by PERDA covering an area of 40.4 ha.

He said a pilot project had started on an area of 2.02 hectares (ha) in Teluk Tempoyak using expertise from Asia Aquaculture.

“Co-operatives in Penang, which mostly conduct agro-based businesses, need to do high-impact businesses. From ANGKASA’s point of view, Penang has the potential to become a ‘litopenaeus vannamei’ shrimp producer for domestic and foreign markets such as Japan, Korea and China.

 “In terms of marketing, there shouldn’t be a problem because our products will meet the required specifications,” he told reporters after officiating the Penang ANGKASA Whiteleg Shrimp Farming Working Paper Workshop, here, today.

Abdul Fattah said he and several government agencies as well as some co-operatives were drafting a paper to be presented to the Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Co-operatives Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

“The purpose of this workshop is to produce working papers because we need the support and assistance of the federal government. This project involves huge investment and cost... estimated to be around RM50 million,” he said.

Among the agencies involved were the Co-operative Commission of Malaysia (SKM), the Penang Regional Development Authority (PERDA), the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM) and the Penang Agriculture Department.

Meanwhile, Asia Aquaculture Holding Sdn Bhd director Datuk Mohammad Nor Saat said the shrimps would be reared in canvas tanks.

“A tank is expected to produce four to five tonnes of whiteleg shrimp in eight months,” he said.

His team was also in the process of also making the project site in Teluk Tempoyak the focus for agrotourism and aquaculture research, he added. — Bernama