Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for Petra Jaya Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof is planning to help tilapia farmers produce better fish fry and feed.

Fadillah said he hopes to look into renting a space at the Fisheries Research Centre in Samariang to look into this issue.

“Our tilapia farmers rely on imported food and the supply sometimes is disrupted and price also affected. If we can have our own farmers producing the fish fry and food, we can have a complete and sustainable supply chain for the tilapia industry,” he said after releasing 2,000 tilapia fry at Kampung Paroh’s cage fish farm.

Fadillah said if he is re-elected, he would also seek expertise from local universities to modernise the industry.

“We need the expertise to ensure that this industry remains relevant. Take Taiwan for example. They are breeding fish inland by pumping in seawater. This translates to a cheaper option rather than going out to sea where they are exposed to typhoons,” he explained.

Fadillah pointed out a lot can also be learnt from fish breeders in Thailand, who are exporting their products globally.

“What’s important is for our local players to be ready and not to rely on conventional methods. In the digital era, where the economy is slowly moving towards digitalisation, we cannot rest on our laurels but we need to be more proactive and seek better changes,” he advised.

Source: The Borneo Post // Original Article