Sandakan sets up first-ever crab hatchery

KOTA KINABALU: Sandakan is set to become a major deepsea crab breeder and exporter, as the first-ever successful crab hatchery has been set up at the district.

State Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Datuk Junz Wong in announcing this, said this was following six months of research and development (R&D) bearing fruit.

He expected the hatchery to start producing three types of deep-sea crabs in three or four months.

“This is a crucial and potential development which can help so many Sabahans earn good income by rearing crabs.

“Another three to four months, Sabahans will be able to enjoy good quality crabs at cheap affordable pricing, ” he said in a short statement on Sunday (Dec 1).

Wong said there are also plans to market the crabs to Peninsular Malaysia, before expanding to Singaporean and probably to Chinese markets.

Wong had announced the initiative at Sandakan in May, due to the high demand and the fact that the state had no crab hatchery at the time.