Segari Set To Emerge As Hub For Producing Abalone

MALAYSIA - Malaysia-New Zealand joint venture company NZ Silverdale Maring Hatchery Sdn Bhd is set to turn Segari, near here, into a hub for producing and exporting abalone by 2010.

The company's director Ben Ngoi said that the company has submitted an application to the state government in August for a 40 ha land to undertake the project using the latest New Zealand aquaculture technology called fully recirculating saltwater system.

He expects the state government to approve the application soon.

Segari, located some 40 km from here, was chosen as the sea water in that area was suitable for such activity, Ngoi told Bernama in an interview recently.

NZ Silverdale Marine has succeeded in conducting a research on the rearing of abalone at its research station in Kampung Koh here.

The company planned to rear abalone species from New Zealand, South Africa, the US and Japan, which are popular worldwide.

He said that the company needed at least one year to prepare all the infrastructure, and taking into consideration that abalone required at least two years to mature, the Segari farm is expected to come out with its first harvest by 2010.

Source: Bernama