BANGKA -- In a corner of Batu Rusa Village, Merawang District, Bangka Regency, lies a fairly large fish farming area where the activity of Mahendra’s catfish and tilapia ponds, a partner of PT TIMAH (Persero) Tbk, never truly stops.
Every two months, his ponds produce harvests that now reach 3 to 5 tons. This achievement did not come instantly, but through a long journey, including support from PT TIMAH.
Mahendra has been engaged in fish farming since 2016. However, long before that, he had tried his luck in the same field before the year 2000. At that time, limited access to markets forced him to stop. Now, the situation has reversed.
“Now, it’s the buyers who come to the ponds,” he said recently.
With eight ponds—seven with a capacity of 3,000 fish each and one large pond capable of holding up to 10,000 fish—Mahendra applies a staggered farming system.
This system allows for stocking and harvesting to be carried out periodically every two months, ensuring continuous production without long gaps.
In each harvest cycle, the output from these ponds is distributed to six regular customers. To maintain smooth distribution, Mahendra usually informs customers about the harvest schedule about one week in advance.
In running his business, Mahendra faces various challenges, particularly in feed costs and water quality management. He acknowledged that tilapia farming requires extra attention, as water conditions must be carefully maintained, including pH levels and circulation. For this reason, he manages only one tilapia pond, while the rest are focused on catfish, which are more adaptable.
To reduce costs, Mahendra implements a mixed feeding strategy. In the early stages, fish seeds are fed pellet feed until they reach 3–4 months of age. After that, he switches to alternative feed such as low-value fish.
“The cost is much lower. Using pellets can be twice as expensive, but alternative feed is cheaper. The results are just as good, and the fish can even grow heavier,” he explained.
However, the biggest challenge remains the pond infrastructure, which has been in use for more than 15 years. The deteriorating condition of the ponds and less-than-optimal water circulation systems had previously hindered productivity.
A significant change occurred after Mahendra received support from PT TIMAH’s partnership program, distributed through Bank Rakyat Indonesia. The assistance was used to repair the ponds, including the large pond that had previously suffered extensive damage.
These improvements had a direct impact on increasing production capacity. Previously, Mahendra could only stock 2,000 to 3,000 fish per pond; now, the capacity has increased to up to 10,000 fish.
“After the improvements, managing the water became easier and the results also improved,” he said.
In addition to increasing production, Mahendra’s business has also begun to create social impact by providing employment opportunities for one to two people around the ponds.
Although his business continues to grow, Mahendra still hopes to improve efficiency, especially in feed production. He hopes to receive support for a pellet-making machine so he can produce feed independently and reduce operational costs.
“If we can produce our own feed, it will certainly be more efficient and help the business grow faster,” he said.
He also expressed his appreciation for the support provided by PT TIMAH and hopes that similar programs will continue to help other small business owners.
“Thank you to PT TIMAH for supporting entrepreneurs like us. The capital assistance has truly helped us develop our business. We hope this support can continue,” he said. (*)
