Ikan lele: the whiskered sensation
Ikan lele (catfish) is delicious, and at its relatively low price, it’s a fish that is generally enjoyed by all. Now it looks like we’ll be seeing a lot more ikan lele swimming onto our plates.
At a meeting between the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs, Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, and the Minister of Trade, ikan lele was identified as an easy to breed and cost-effective fish. As such, the government plans to increase ikan lele production in order to boost the country’s fish industry.
“It’s the cheapest fish, and it contains a lot of protein,” said Indroyono Soesilo, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs, as quoted by Merdeka today.
Contrary to popular belief, ikan lele is no longer a fish for the lower classes, as the whiskered water-dweller is now growing in popularity.
“It’s popular in Europe now, kok,” Indroyono said.
The government’s goal is for Indonesia’s fish farms to produce a total of 31.3 million tons of fish and seaweed in the next five years.
