Shrimp Farm in Sabah: Field trip

Gilbert Vergères | March 31, 2018

For starters, it took us more than 3 hours to drive (see above picture) to get to the shrimp farm out in the country.

On the way we crossed South East Asia’s highest mountain range with Mount Kinabalu.

Mount Kinabalu (Malay: Gunung Kinabalu) is 4095 m high. The Kinabalu Park, is a World Heritage Site.

Kinabalu is the highest peak in Borneo’s Crocker Range. It is the highest mountain in the Malay Archipelago, as well as the highest mountain in Malaysia.

The farm we visited is able to raise and harvest 1,300 metric tons of shrimp each year.

Neither vaccinations nor antibiotics are being used on this shrimp farm.

Picture Christoph Baldegger Sabah Factory
Picture Sabah Off Road

They attained certification from GAP or Good Aquaculture Practice from the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore.

The GAP certificate allows them to export to European Markets.

They are working on getting the ASC label

To understand the difference, see also our FAQ for the MSC label.

The company is using pond foil liner. It is more efficient then having the shrimps just in the soil pond and easy to clean.

The local management is always looking for better production methods to increase the standard and the well-being of the shrimps. They are full aware of the EMS (Early mortality syndrome) they had all over Asia the last years.

All in all, we met a management team that showed competence, willingness to improve and a proven track record.

After our visit to the shrimp farm we took the opportunity to see the processing facility.

The shrimps are arriving live at the procession plant and leaving the facility as a finished product….

…and we tasted the shrimps. Let us assure you, it tasted great when we tried it right there.

What is your opinion? Join the conversation

We were quite impressed with what was shown to the Bonafide team on this trip. Management skills, planning and technology have been used to secure:

  • Good farm infrastructure management.
  • Reducing the risks for getting the shrimp infected such as by the EMS called Early Mortality Syndrome.
  • Improving the environmental footprint of this operation in various ways including but not limited to farm environment management.

But what we are interested in is to hear from you:

  • When when you bought shrimp last time, do you remember, did the product you purchased show the ASC label?
  • Do you know of a good shrimp recipe?
  • Any other comments or suggestions you have including questions?
Picture Shrimps Finished Produkt

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