SOUTH BANGKA -- Bangka shrimp paste is indeed well known in Indonesia, apart from having a distinctive taste and made from high-quality raw rebon shrimp. It is not surprising that the shrimp paste business is quite lucrative, as has been done by PT Timah Tbk Anyun's fostered partners.
Anyun started a home-based business of making shrimp paste in 1984. This resident of Jalan Suhailitoha Air Aceng (Gang.baper) Toboali, South Bangka, said that this business of making shrimp paste has been passed down from generation to generation in their family.
This 61-year-old woman is still making shrimp paste. The shrimp paste product of PT Timah Tbk's fostered partners has the brand 'ANYUN' which is well known to the public. Even people come to their houses to buy shrimp paste.
"In the past, my husband helped me make shrimp paste, we became partners with PT Timah Tbk. My husband was able to buy a boat and equipment to look for shrimp as raw material for shrimp paste. But in recent years my husband has died. My children have assisted me to keep running this business." she said.
She said, that by becoming PT Timah Tbk's fostered partner, her shrimp paste business was increasingly recognized. In fact, they were overwhelmed with requests for shrimp paste which did not only come from South Bangka but also from various other regions.
"I have been invited to exhibit by PT Timah Tbk to Jakarta and Belitung, and people are also getting to know my shrimp paste, many have ordered because PT Timah Tbk is also helping with promotions. People come to my house directly to buy, I don't sell it everywhere. Even then sometimes it's lacking," she said.
The process of making shrimp paste, she said, is actually not that difficult, it just takes patience and quality raw materials. The process must also be clean to produce delicious and long-lasting shrimp paste.
"The manufacturing process depends on the weather, it can take 2-3 days because it has to be dried in the sun. Then the main ingredient for shrimp must be good shrimp if it doesn't affect the taste and quality," she said.
She said he cannot produce too much shrimp paste because shrimp raw materials are limited. Because he only buys from other people.
"In the past, we could produce about 50 kg more, but now because we only buy shrimp from people, it depends on the shrimp. You can make 10 kg or more at once. Fortunately, now there is a mashing machine, so it's not too difficult anymore," he said.
Currently, he said, he has begun to pass on the knowledge of making shrimp paste to his children, so that their shrimp paste business can continue to run. Moreover, they already have regular customers.
"I think people say shrimp paste is different because maybe we make it from fresh shrimp, but I don't mix anything with it. The raw ingredients are just shrimp and salt. Even if you store it in the refrigerator, it can last for a year," she said.
For her, there are many benefits that have been felt by being a partner trained by PT Timah Tbk, such as increasing promotions so that they can help increase their sales turnover.
"There are many benefits, we can add production equipment to look for raw materials first. Then more and more people became familiar with the product. PT Timah Tbk really helps MSMEs like us," she said. (*)
