BUMDes in Bangkalan Overcomes Land Limitations with Soft-Shell Crab Apartments

Bangkalan Regency in East Java (Jatim) is rich in crab resources. According to data from the Bangkalan Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food Security (DP2KP), last year's crab production reached 478.37 tons. In the first quarter of this year alone, crab production hit 147.6 tons, valued at Rp14.76 billion. The crabs sold by fishermen include not only those from natural catches but also farmed varieties like soft-shell crabs, which are highly popular in the market. Mohammad Sahril, a soft-shell crab farmer in Labuhan Village, Sepulu District, Bangkalan, stated that he buys ordinary crab seeds from collectors in Pajagan, Bangkalan, for Rp50,000 per kilogram, containing 8-12 individuals. When prices exceed Rp90,000 per kilogram, he tends to postpone cultivation due to very thin profit margins, even risking losses. He noted that the average selling price for soft-shell crabs ranges from Rp50,000 to Rp150,000 per kilogram. Due to their relatively high cost, his harvested soft-shell crabs are sold exclusively to the middle to upper-income segment. "This falls into the middle to upper class... The crabs themselves are scarce [due to low supply], [but] many are ordering," he said. Sahril and his group began cultivating soft-shell crabs in 2015. After a hiatus in 2018, he restarted seven years later under the auspices of the Labuhan Village-Owned Enterprise (BUMDes). He recognized the business opportunity in soft-shell crab cultivation thanks to the assistance of a certain company. Initially, cultivation was done in ponds. Now, they have shifted to using special plastic 'crab apartment' boxes within a 6x8 meter building. The decision to switch to the apartment method was driven by the rising cost of land rental. This innovative approach allows for efficient farming even in limited spaces, heralding new economic prospects for Bangkalan Regency.