To Make Milkfish Entrepreneurs More Cuan, KKP Builds Milkfish Village In Gresik

KKP will build Kampung Bandeng in Gresik Regency, East Java, this year. (photo: doc. between)

JAKARTA - The potential of pond expanses in Gresik is estimated to reach up to 40 percent of the total area of ponds in East Java Province. This makes the region has excellent fisheries.

To maximize this potential, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) will build Kampung Bandeng in Gresik Regency, East Java, this year.

"Gresik Regency is one of the locations promoted by the KKP to become a local wisdom-based aquaculture village with milkfish as the main commodity," said the Director General of Aquaculture of KKP, Tb Haeru Rahayu, in a statement quoted by Antara, Saturday, March 16.

Haeru stated that this policy had been stated in the Decree of the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) Number 64 of 2021 concerning Cultivated Fisheries Villages.

In addition to the potential for large ponds, Gresik also has the potential for natural resources such as natural food, human resource potential, as well as environmental conditions and supporting public infrastructure.

Pangkahwetan Village, Ujungpangkah District, became the location for the construction of a milkfish cultivation village in Gresik this year.

"The KKP's intervention through the Directorate General of Aquaculture includes strengthening production inputs such as seeds and feed, increasing the capacity of facilities and infrastructure, revitalizing ponds and rehabilitating channels. There is also the management of fish health and the environment so that it can be sustainable, to protection of aquaculture businesses through business insurance premium assistance. cultivation," said Tebe, Tb Haeru Rahayu's nickname.

According to him, the various intervention steps and intensification technology improvements. It is hoped that in the future this program can increase the productivity of ponds up to two times.

Milkfish is a fishery commodity with the largest production produced by Gresik Regency so far.

According to data, in 2020 Gresik Regency produces 87.12 thousand tons of milkfish with a total production value of Rp. 1.4 trillion. In 2021, milkfish production will increase to 90.38 thousand tons with a total production value of Rp1.43 trillion.

Tebe also considers that community support and participation is a key factor in the sustainability and success of this cultivation village program.

Local government support is also a factor that cannot be ruled out through the commitment and preparation of a master plan for an integrated aquaculture village from upstream to downstream. Moreover, milkfish is known as a commodity of high economic value which is quite popular in the community through a variety of dishes and preparations.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Independent Berkah Pokdakan in Ujungpangkah Village, stated that his party fully supports the development of the milkfish cultivation village initiated by the KKP in his area.

He gave an illustration that with the distribution of 8-10 cm size milkfish, as many as 25 thousand fish with semi-intensive technology and a maintenance period of 6 months have the potential to produce 6-7 tons of milkfish with the size of 4-5 fish per kg.

With a selling price ranging from Rp. 22 thousand to Rp. 26 thousand per kg, the potential gross income obtained can reach Rp. 182 million per cycle.