At the centre, workers use the app to record production data including the weight, size and mortality rates of fish. They collect a sample from each batch of tilapia and briefly sedate the fish. Measurements are thereafter taken, a process that takes less than a minute.
Mr Cheong said accurate, authenticated records are essential for farms seeking industry certifications and recognised standards – such as the Singapore Food Agency's Good Aquaculture Practice for Fish Farming, allowing them to become more competitive.
“Record-keeping is … key to all standards,” he said. “This is the first step (in helping) our local farms keep records in the most effective and efficient way.”
Max Koi Farm is currently being onboarded onto the app. Owner Max Ng said it would complement his farm's existing technologies and improve operational efficiency.
“The app should give us more accurate records of the amount of feed given to the fish, which will improve the feed conversion ratio and help us save costs,” he said.
The SG Farm App has been live since May and is expected to operate on a subscription model to cover IT infrastructure and server costs. SAFEF said it intends to keep the pricing affordable so that the labour and productivity gains outweigh the fees.
The federation hopes to expand the app to cater to vegetable farms next.
“We want everybody to have skin in the game,” Mr Cheong said. “We'll find a plan that ensures the amount of effort a farm saves is commensurate with the subscription it takes.”
Apart from digitalisation, SAFEF is also exploring new species that could diversify Singapore's aquaculture industry and meet consumer demand.
One species under evaluation is the Chinese perch, also known as the Mandarin fish or Guihua Yu, a freshwater fish native to China.
The federation hopes to eventually establish a commercial supply of the species in Singapore, expanding the range of locally farmed seafood available to consumers.
Continue reading...
Mr Cheong said accurate, authenticated records are essential for farms seeking industry certifications and recognised standards – such as the Singapore Food Agency's Good Aquaculture Practice for Fish Farming, allowing them to become more competitive.
“Record-keeping is … key to all standards,” he said. “This is the first step (in helping) our local farms keep records in the most effective and efficient way.”
Max Koi Farm is currently being onboarded onto the app. Owner Max Ng said it would complement his farm's existing technologies and improve operational efficiency.
“The app should give us more accurate records of the amount of feed given to the fish, which will improve the feed conversion ratio and help us save costs,” he said.
SAFEF EYES WIDER ROLLOUT
The SG Farm App has been live since May and is expected to operate on a subscription model to cover IT infrastructure and server costs. SAFEF said it intends to keep the pricing affordable so that the labour and productivity gains outweigh the fees.
The federation hopes to expand the app to cater to vegetable farms next.
“We want everybody to have skin in the game,” Mr Cheong said. “We'll find a plan that ensures the amount of effort a farm saves is commensurate with the subscription it takes.”
Apart from digitalisation, SAFEF is also exploring new species that could diversify Singapore's aquaculture industry and meet consumer demand.
One species under evaluation is the Chinese perch, also known as the Mandarin fish or Guihua Yu, a freshwater fish native to China.
The federation hopes to eventually establish a commercial supply of the species in Singapore, expanding the range of locally farmed seafood available to consumers.
Continue reading...