Minister Teten Calls Fish Milk Potential To Support Free Nutrition Eating Program

Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs Teten Masduki. Photo: Theresia Agatha/VOI)

Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs (Menkop UKM) Teten Masduki said the potential for fish milk for a free nutritious food program (MBG) promoted by President-elect Prabowo Subianto.

Teten assessed that the program could build a fish protein hydrolysate processing plant.

"This is actually very easy because in every fish auction place (TPI) we can turn on the fish protein hydrolysat processing plant, then process it into milk and that's local technology as well. So, this is a high level of domestic components (TKDN)," said Teten, quoted Thursday, September 12.

Teten assessed that using fish milk can catch more domestic MSME actors.

This is in line with the direction of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) so that the program involves MSMEs.

"Pak Jokowi, right, has conveyed how, for example, the MBG program also involves MSMEs. Well, one of them, in my opinion, is milk, especially eating this nutritious for school children. I think it's with protein extract that is processed into this milk, right, it's easier to digest," he said.

According to Teten, Indonesia has an abundant type of fish.

On the other hand, almost 80 percent of milk in Indonesia is still imported.

Reflecting on this, he said that Indonesia has the potential to replace cow's milk with milk made from fish protein.

In addition, he said, Indonesia has the potential for fishery production to reach 24.7 million tons.

Of that total, as much as 4 tons can be used for processed fish milk.

The advantages of fish milk can be tolerated by people who are allergic to lactose, the nutritional value is equivalent to protein milk and there is no smell of fish and is easily digested.

"In Indonesia, right, there are a lot of fish. Meanwhile, 80 percent of this milk is still imported. So, it's almost impossible for us to be able to self-sufficient in milk due to land constraints, cattle productivity. Our cow's milk production is only 15 liters per day. Incidentally, I know because of this, right, everything is almost cooperative. Most of the milkers are cooperatives," he said.

Previously, the Head of the National Nutrition Agency Dadan Hindayana opened his voice regarding the circulating news regarding the use of fish milk to be an alternative to cow's milk in the free nutritious food program (MBG) in the government of the elected President Prabowo Subianto.

Dadan said that his party did not know the news circulating regarding alternative use of fish milk to fulfill the free milk program.

Even so, his party will continue to accommodate and consider the possibilities.

"I don't know who said it, yes. We will accommodate everything that is good, but we will see. (Currently) we haven't gone that way," Dadan said when met at the DPR RI Building, Tuesday, September 10.