Mimika Regency Government Intensifies Crab Farming for Export Sustainability
The Mimika Regency Government is encouraging mangrove crab farming to ensure export sustainability to China, Malaysia, and Singapore. This is crucial due to high demand and dependence on wild catches.
Saturday, May 30, 2026 23:02:59
The Mimika Regency Government, Central Papua, is proactively encouraging the development of mangrove crab farming in its region. This effort aims to maintain the sustainability of fishery commodity exports that have high demand in the global market. This strategic step is taken to address dependence on unsustainable wild catches.
Mimika Regent, Joahannes Rettob, explained that currently crab exports are still highly dependent on community catches. This dependence is considered unable to guarantee a stable supply to meet increasing export demand. Therefore, farming is the main solution for supply stability.
This initiative emerges amid high demand from various countries, including China, Malaysia, and Singapore. The Mimika Regency Government is determined to ensure the availability of fishery commodities, especially crabs, through a structured and sustainable farming program for local economic progress.
Urgency of Farming for the Global Market
Demand for mangrove crabs from abroad shows a significant and continuous upward trend. Countries such as China, Malaysia, and Singapore have expressed great interest in this commodity from Mimika, creating substantial economic opportunities. This condition requires Mimika to have a stable supply with guaranteed quality.
Currently, the crab supply for exports is still dominated by direct catches from nature. Dependence on wild catches poses high risks to supply fluctuations, product quality, and ecosystem sustainability. Farming is a way out to ensure availability without damaging the environment and maintaining quality.
Regent Rettob emphasized the importance of ensuring that fishery commodities are always available for export markets. With orders from various countries, the farming process must be immediately optimized and expanded. This is a crucial step to maintain and increase the volume of Mimika's crab exports, while empowering local communities.
Challenges and Efforts by the Mimika Regency Government
The Mimika Regency Government had previously attempted mangrove crab farming in Kekwa Village, Central Mimika District. However, these efforts have not yet run optimally and maximally. This serves as an important note for the Mimika Regency Government to evaluate existing strategies and seek more effective solutions.
Regent Joahannes Rettob acknowledged obstacles in previous farming implementation, possibly due to lack of assistance or inappropriate methods. The Mimika Regency Government plans to find a more effective new pattern so that the farming process can run maximally. Expert assistance and application of appropriate technology are keys to the success of this program.
Besides mangrove crabs, Mimika also has other fishery commodities of high economic value, such as shrimp and fish. Diversification of fishery commodities through farming can strengthen the regional economy as a whole. The focus on crab farming is a strategic first step to utilize the potential of Mimika's marine resources.
The Mimika Customs Office recorded substantial export volumes of mangrove crabs (karaka) from Mimika to Malaysia and Singapore. From January to May 2026, total exports reached 16.9 tons. This data not only shows Mimika's great potential in the fishery export market but also confirms the urgency of developing farming to meet continuously increasing demand.
Source: AntaraNews
