BAGAN SERAI, April 1 (Bernama) – The Tasik Bukit Merah Golden Arowana industry is now eyeing opportunities for export to the United States market if it meets the set conditions, said Perak Plantation, Agriculture and Food Industry Committee chairman Razman Zakaria.
He said among the conditions set was the existence of a Golden Arowana breeding sanctuary in its actual habitat before allowing the ornamental fish to be exported to the country.
“America does not set the number to be exported and most importantly we have activities in the sanctuary. If these conditions are met and the United States government is satisfied, it is likely that demand for exports will increase.
“Because of that, the sanctuary in Tasik Bukit Merah which was established by the Fisheries Department is the only sanctuary in the country to increase the stock of Golden Arowana in its natural habitat because previously it was not controlled causing the population to decrease,” he said.
He said this after officiating the land jetty and release of Golden Arowana into the Kelisa Fish Sanctuary in Tasik Bukit Merah here today, involving 75 fish that were chipped for tracking and breeding purposes.
Commenting further, Razman said the population of Golden Arowana from Tasik Bukit Merah is now declining because fishing activity was not controlled such that it could not be exported since 2019 and it led to a fall in its market value.
“For example, a four-inch Golden Arowana can fetch between RM150 to RM140 each while five to six-inch sizes are sold at RM150 to RM450 each.
“For the domestic market, it is priced from RM150 to RM200 each. The Golden Arowana can be expensive and cheap according to its pattern and it can even reach between RM2,000 to RM3,000 each,” he said.
He explained that Malaysian Golden Arowana farmed here is exported to China which is in high demand apart from Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan involving Gold Kelisa, High Back Gold Kelisa, Red Kelisa, Silver Kelisa and Green Kelisa.
He said there were 97 companies rearing Arowana ornamental fish in an area of 404.68 hectares in Bukit Merah involving 288,268 fish with a wholesale value of about RM42.9 million last year.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency