JAKARTA: The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries has begun implementing a pilot project for the cultivation of saline tilapia in a 16-hectare area in Karawang, West Java.
Saline tilapia is a type of tilapia that can live in both freshwater and saltwater.
Director General of Aquaculture Fisheries, Haeru Rahayu, stated on Saturday that the pilot project is expected to stimulate the local economy and improve the welfare of the community. He added that the project aims to position tilapia as one of Indonesia’s strategic commodities in the future.
According to Rahayu, there is a high demand for tilapia, especially in the form of fillets.
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He predicted that the project could yield 672 tons of tilapia with a rearing period of 150-180 days.
“If the average price of saline tilapia is Rp30,000 per kilogram, the total income could reach around Rp20 billion (approximately US$1.3 million),” he said.
Tahang further explained that the saline tilapia cultivation project also takes into account ecological considerations.
Based on the 2021 trade map, Indonesia ranks fifth as a global exporter of tilapia.
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