KOTA KINABALU – The impact of tourists from China visiting Sabah from February onwards will be minimal as far as seafood supply is concerned, said Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Chan Foong Hin.
He said the overall seafood self-sufficiency level (SSL) in Sabah is adequate. However, there will be shortages for specific seafood categories.
“Generally, the SSL for the seafood in Sabah is 100%, but when we go to the specific varieties of the seafood, like fishes, crabs or prawns, it will be a different picture.
“Still, I believe the supply will be enough,” said Chan when met during the Sabah Industrial Development Ministry’s Chinese New Year open house at the Kota Kinabalu High School here today.
Sabah is expecting the arrival of thousands of tourists from three provinces in China from February 1 onwards.
Food supplies, including of seafood, come under the Sabah government’s purview and will be constantly monitored, he said.
Chan pointed out that Sabah’s quality of seafood is among the state’s selling points for tourists.
However, he said, the state is not the largest in terms of catch volume. That distinction is held by Perak due to the large aquaculture and fishing industry there.
Meanwhile, Chan congratulated the authorities for their seizure of frozen food valued over RM33 million recently. The items reportedly did not have Customs’ approval, among other alleged offences.
He believed that the goods could be the work of a cartel that the Malaysia Competition Commission is currently probing.
He noted the sophistication of such an operation could be the reason why the crime may have gone undetected for a decade. – The Vibes, January 24, 2023
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