KUCHING: Tilapia fish farmed in Batang Ai is making a comeback in Singapore and is expected to be available at Sheng Siong supermarket stores there, starting next month.
Borneo Eco Fish managing director Thomas Hii Tiong Kong said a shipment of 10 tonnes of the fish is scheduled to depart Kuching port on July 31.
The tilapia from Borneo Eco Fish had actually established its presence in Singapore since 2019; however, the export was affected and temporarily halted due to Covid-19.
“This is our first shipment after the Covid-19 and what is more meaningful this time is that our fish will be marketed under the Borneo Eco Fish brand, with our own packing and logo from now onwards,” he said, adding that the supermarket chain currently has 67 stores in Singapore.
“Consumers in Singapore can look out for our brand or when they see our logo on the packaging, they can be assured that the tilapia is bred in the pristine and deep waters of Batang Ai in Sarawak — which is rich in nutrients; the meat is firm and thick.
“Most importantly, without the muddy taste,” he said.
Speaking at a press conference at Borneo Eco Fish office here today, Hii said in the past they only supplied it to the supermarket stores without any branding.
Thus, it was not easy to really tell which tilapia was from Borneo Eco Fish or why the fish would taste better than others — as Singapore also sourced the fish from other countries.
“So, this is a new chapter of our fish exporting venture, marketed through the assistance of Sarawak Trade and Tourism (STATOS); it is also the stepping stone to the world market in the near future,” he said.
Currently, Borneo Eco Fish also distributed their products to West Malaysia as well as Brunei while the local market still maintains the main market share of Borneo Eco Fish products, from Kuching all the way to Bintulu.
Hii said the company will increase the production, expand the export market and ensure the local demand is fulfilled at the same time.
“To ensure the products are of international competitive standard, we must increase the production volume to keep the fish production and processing cost lower,” he said, adding that the fish farm is also adhering to the stringent MyGAP farming standard.
Meanwhile, STATOS CEO Chew Chang Guan said they are extremely excited to have the tilapia from Batang Ai returning to Singapore, which shows that the Sheng Siong supermarket chain is very confident of the product.
“Apart from supermarkets, we are also looking at selling the fish to restaurants as well as the possibility of supplying chilled tilapia to wholesalers instead of frozen tilapia (like now), so there are many potential areas or options worth exploring.
“But, for now, our focus will be how to market Sarawak products properly, not only tilapia but other products as we know once they have tried or realised the quality of our products, they will come back for more,” he said.
He urged businesses in Sarawak, including the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to come forward as STATOS offers various services as well as financial assistance to help them to enter the Singapore market.
Chew said businesses can apply for Promotion Assistance Scheme (Pass) up to SG$10,000 per year to help export-ready companies cover the costs of their strategic branding, promotion, and marketing activities.
Also present was STATOS Financial, Corporate Affairs, Trade and Investment manager Kenny Lau.
To apply for pass grants or to get advice and assistance on exporting to Singapore, email kenny.lau@statos.com.sg or go to www.statos.com.sg/trade/
