Pahang breeder redefines pond-raised patin

JERANTUT - Patin fish reared in ponds often end up as the last choice for patin aficionados as they are said to have a fishy smell and lack in taste when compared to wild patin or those reared in cages in flowing rivers.

Yusairy Yusof, a patin breeder in Jerantut, Pahang, however, has a sure-fire way of ensuring that patin reared in pools can taste as good or even better than other types of patin, by using water flowing from the nearby hills.

"Patin rearing in ponds using flowing water from the hills gives them a different quality with a very great taste that isn’t fishy, compared to fish reared in pools without flowing water.

"The hill water comes from the peak of the hill, and is natural, clean and with its own unique mineral qualities. All this helps the patin fish to grow well,” he told Bernama.

Yusairy, a former Bernama TV news producer, is determined to change the public perception towards pool reared patin through his own brand, Angah Livestock, which he set up in 2008.

Thanks to the hill water located on his family property in Kampung Perlok here, Yusairy, 39, currently has seven pools capable of producing 2.5 tons or 2,500 patin fishes every month, with an estimated 30,000 fish a year.

"Alhamdulillah, more customers are providing positive feedback about how tasty this type of ‘hill water’ patin is. The feedback really helps change the negative perception towards pool-reared patin,” he said, adding that he had regular customers around Pahang, Kuala Lumpur, Cyberjaya, Putrajaya and Selangor, including restaurant operators and patin fans.

He explained that he had yet to maximise his production and was just rearing according to the current demand from customers, but was optimistic about how he and other breeders in Kampung Perlok could expand their markets.

He also expressed hope that the cost of fish pellets could be controlled as the prices have risen to RM80 for a 20-kilogramme pack from around RM60 previously.

"Rearing costs depend on the fish food as their growth and quality is very good if they are fed solely on fish pellets compared to alternative food such as chicken stomach, waste fish or plants,” he said as he expressed his thanks to the Fisheries Department for its assistance when he was just starting his venture. - BERNAMA