Govt laying out plans to tap into tuna industry

BUTTERWORTH: The Federal Government is eyeing the lucrative tuna industry and plans to tap into the business by making Penang the first state in Malaysia to have a one-stop terminal for the landing and processing of tuna.
Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said this was in line with the objective of the ministry in wanting to have a comprehensive tuna industry.
He said the terminal at the deep sea berth of the Penang Port was one of the ways to grow the industry.
He pointed out the terminal was to be supported by a tuna processing centre at Bukit Minyak which will start operating soon to produce tuna products like tuna cubes.
"The ministry is also in the process of drawing up a plan to develop the downstream industry and aims to have 10% of tuna landed here to be sold in the local market," he said when visiting the terminal today.
Ahmad Shabery and Penang Port Commission (PPC) chairman Datuk Tan Teik Chengearlier attended the landing ceremony of the Kha Yang 333 vessel which brought on shore a total of 520 tonnes of tuna.
These included the Albacore tuna, the Yellowfin tuna and the Bigeye tuna.
Ahmad Shaebery said the ministry was aiming to land a total of 3,000 metric tonnes of tuna worth about RM60 million at Penang Port this year, adding that 1,100 metric tonnes have landed to date.
The federal government targets to harvest a total of 30,000 metric tonnes of tuna worth about RM300 million by 2020 he said.
He said Malaysia so far had two designated tuna ports, one in Penang, and another at the Tanjung Lembung Port in Langkawi, Kedah.
"The federal government has issued 135 licences to tuna vessels on the condition the tuna caught must be landed at Malaysian tuna ports," he said.