ALOR STAR, MALAYSIA - A company in Malaysia hopes to export millions of ringgit worth of tiger prawns to Europe and Japan from October when its hatchery and processing plant is operational in Kerpan.

Blue Archipelago Bhd chief executive officer Dr Shahridan Faiez Mohideen Abdul Kader said the Kerpan monodons and white prawns, which would also be exported to the United States, had recently received the seal of acceptance from European nations in the form of a registration number from the European Union.

The company operates a prawn farm which produces about 2,000 tonnes of white prawns and up to 6,000 tonnes of tiger prawns.

"We have some of the finest prawns in the world and we are confident our home-reared crustaceans will place Malaysia on the global map as a major producer of tiger and white prawns," he said after the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the operator of the prawn farm and Universiti Putera Malaysia here on Sunday.

Witnessing the event were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop and Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir.

Under the agreement, about 200 employees of Blue Archipelago will undergo diploma-level training at the university to improve their knowledge and skills in prawn breeding technology.

"Once our hatchery and processing plant are ready, we can further boost our production. This will also be good for the nation's foreign exchange."

He said the construction of the plant was part of Blue Archipelago's efforts to boost the yield of the prawn farm, set up 15 years ago.

"We have the capacity and know-how and we aim to exploit all opportunities to tap our potential."