REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SUKABUMI – The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries develops the cultivation of giant river and rice prawn, or known as Ugadi, in 2012 to boost the additional value and benefit for the farmers. The cultivation is started in Sukabumi, precisely in the Fresh Water Aquaculture Development Center (FADC). 

On the second harvest, it produces 100 kilograms of prawn from 1,000 meter square rice field. They also harvest rice in the amount of 800 kilograms. “The spreading of giant river prawn in rice field does not derange the rice productivity,” the Director General of Aquaculture of Fisheries, Slamet Soebijakto, said. 

This pattern can boost the production and give additional value to the farmers as the price of the prawn is high, which is 60,000 IDR per kilogram. Also, the demand is high. In Jakarta, the demand reaches two tonnes per day, while in national it reaches 20 tonnes per day.

In the future, the Ugadi cultivation will be spread to all regions in Indonesia. The cultivation was also easy, he said. “It does not use any pesticide,” he added. The pest will be eaten by the prawn.

The Head of FADC, M Abduh Nurhidajat, explained 5,000 prawns should be spread in 1,000 meter square rice field. The spreading is conducted after the rice reaches 10 days. 

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