Ceo Chief Editor Overview

Hello readers, and welcome to June’s edition of THE CRUST! This month the Petambak Muda Indonesia (PMI) Association is holding its most prominent event in Bali. For those unfamiliar with PMI, we have organized an annual conference since 2017 to bring together farmers, feed millers, and other aquaculture industry players to connect and be updated on the latest news and information. This year is unique, however, because this is the first time we rebranded the event as the Shrimp Aquaculture Conference (SAC). It’s an excellent opportunity to meet old friends, connect with new people, and learn new stuff while having fun at the same time.

We bring speakers from around the world to present according to the latest situation and what we think are the industry’s current needs. This year we will have 14 speakers gracing the stage to bring topics ranging from plankton to shrimp health, from managing big corporations to seeking funds to fuel growth. A wide range of topics is presented to prepare farmers for present problems as well as the future. Also, we want to frame this industry in a new light. Instead of the usual mom­and­pop operation, we want to show that shrimp farming has the potential to be a big­scale industry or corporation. This is in the hope of rekindling the spirit of current farmers and attracting new investments in this sector. As shrimp farming is an aging industry and we need more young people for sustainability and regeneration.

The world is changing, and we have to adapt to it. With global conflicts still raging, economic upheaval, and diseases still haunting production. Not to mention the shift in customer behavior in choosing what they buy and eat. Hence why we decided to theme this year’s SAC as “Surviving Turbulences in Aquaculture Industry.” We have to take into account all that is hap­ pening in the world and plan for it so that we won’t be taken by surprise. Just like a plane that is about to take off needs a thorough check, we also check our readiness to face the future. We believe this is also relevant for other industries.

Preparation for an event like SAC can be challenging. It’s a back­and­forth between doing what needs to be done and ensuring we don’t forget any details. All this is done while trying to manage our farm, businesses, or other life activities. The team behind SAC does this voluntarily because they believe in the collective vision and as solidarity to the industry. So, I want to thank the team for their hard work in preparing and ensuring the event went smoothly.

Finally, for those who come to SAC2023, we hope you enjoy your time there and can bring home something to advance your business, career, or get a meaningful experience out of the event. But for those who didn’t have the opportunity to attend this year, we hope you can come to next year’s SAC. We also want to thank the sponsors, as this event wouldn’t happen without your continued support. Stay safe everyone, and keep on farming!