President Prabowo Oversees Major Shrimp Harvest in Kebumen, Strengthens Modern Aquaculture

President Prabowo Subianto attends a major shrimp harvest and inspects post-harvest sorting activities at the Kebumen Area-Based Shrimp Aquaculture (BUBK) facility in Kebumen, Saturday (05/16) (Photo: BPMI of the Presidential Secretariat)

President Prabowo Subianto attended a major shrimp harvest and inspected post-harvest sorting activities at the Kebumen Area-Based Shrimp Aquaculture (BUBK) facility in Kebumen, Saturday (05/23). At the aquaculture site, which spans 100 hectares, President Prabowo directly observed the harvesting process for vannamei shrimp as well as the sorting of the harvest prior to distribution to the market.

During the visit, the Head of State inspected the area, which has been developed based on best practices in modern shrimp aquaculture through an integrated management system comprising water intake channels, reservoir ponds, separate inlet and outlet channels, production ponds, wastewater treatment facilities, and other supporting infrastructure.

In his remarks, President Prabowo said that he was pleased to witness the eighth major shrimp harvest at the facility. The President noted that, given its vast potential, Indonesia has a significant opportunity to become the world’s leading shrimp producer.

“This sector is highly promising. I was informed earlier that one hectare can produce up to 40 tons. Forty tons is extraordinary, and the price is very favorable, around Rp70,000 per kilogram. That means one ton is worth Rp70 million,” the President said.

BUBK Kebumen has generated significant economic impact. With a total of 206 pond plots, the area records production value of approximately Rp67.2 billion per cycle and has the potential to reach Rp134.4 billion annually. The presence of the modern aquaculture complex has also created employment opportunities for hundreds of local residents.

Furthermore, the President explained that the Government is currently developing a similar but larger-scale project in Waingapu, East Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara. Meanwhile, BUBK Kebumen is being positioned as a model for transforming traditional aquaculture into a modern, technology-driven system with stronger environmental governance, while also serving as a reference point for the development of Indonesia’s fisheries sector.

“This is an excellent and highly productive initiative. So far, it has created jobs for 650 local residents, and we have already begun developing a 2,000-hectare project in Waingapu,” President Prabowo added.

The Government views shrimp as one of the country’s strategic commodities that not only contributes to national food security, but also holds substantial potential to enhance the competitiveness of Indonesia’s fisheries exports in the global market.

Moreover, Indonesian shrimp has the potential to become a sustainable source of foreign exchange earnings through modern pond management and the implementation of good aquaculture practices, as demonstrated by the model applied at BUBK Kebumen.

The major shrimp harvest also reaffirmed President Prabowo’s commitment to advancing the maritime and fisheries sector. Previously, he had visited the same area while serving as Minister of Defense.

From Kebumen, the direction of this policy is becoming increasingly clear. Modern aquaculture, high productivity, job creation, and export orientation together form a combination that positions shrimp as one of the new engines of Indonesia’s economic growth. (BPMI of the Presidential Secretariat) (AY/LW)