Malaysia’s prawn farmers and processors manage hatcheries, aquaculture ponds, and modern processing plants to supply live and frozen black tiger prawns locally and for export, meeting global seafood demand with quality and sustainability practices.
Image Courtesy of Camaroe
A prawn farmer in Malaysia typically operates aquaculture farms along coastal or riverine areas where water quality and salinity can be controlled. The farming cycle often begins with hatchery operations: Breeding & Larvae Stage: Broodstock (adult prawns) are bred under controlled environments to produce post-larvae (juveniles).
Nursery Stage: Post-larvae are reared in tanks or ponds until they reach a certain size, after which they are transferred to grow-out ponds.
Grow-Out Stage: Prawns are raised in earthen ponds, lined ponds, or cages until they reach market size (usually 4–6 months). Farmers carefully manage feed, water quality, and disease prevention throughout.
Malaysia is particularly known for Black Tiger Prawns (Penaeus monodon) and Whiteleg Shrimp (Vannamei). Black tiger prawns are often marketed as a premium product, while vannamei offers faster growth and higher yields.
A prawn processor is not just about farming; it involves adding value through post-harvest activities. Here’s what processing includes: Harvesting & Sorting – Once prawns reach the right size, they are harvested, sorted by size, and cleaned.
Processing Options: Live prawns for local wholesale markets. Frozen prawns in various formats: Head-on, Shell-on (HOSO). Headless, Shell-on (HLSO). Peeled & Deveined (PD). Value-added products (marinated, ready-to-cook, breaded).
Cold Chain Management – Essential for maintaining freshness, prawns are blast-frozen or IQF (Individually Quick Frozen), then stored in cold storage before shipping.
Quality Standards – Processors must comply with certifications like HACCP, GMP, and myGAP (Malaysia Good Aquaculture Practice). Export products often carry antibiotic-free certifications for markets like Japan, EU, and the US.
Local Market – Live and fresh prawns are supplied to wet markets, restaurants, hotels, and supermarkets.
Export Market – Frozen prawns are Malaysia’s key seafood export, going mainly to China, Japan, South Korea, Europe, and the Middle East. Buyers prefer consistent supply, premium quality, and certified antibiotic-free products.
Companies like Camaroe Bhd adopt a vertically integrated model: Own Hatchery → Farming → Processing → Distribution. This ensures better control of quality, reduces reliance on third-party suppliers, and allows higher profit margins.
By integrating farming and processing, they can: Stabilize costs (instead of buying stock from external hatcheries). Differentiate products with branding (premium black tiger prawns vs. commodity shrimp). Serve multiple markets (from fresh local supply to frozen exports).
Being a prawn farmer and processor in Malaysia comes with challenges:
· Disease Risks – White spot syndrome and other prawn diseases can cause mass losses.
· Environmental Management – Farms must manage effluent water, avoid overstocking, and maintain eco-balance.
· Market Volatility – Prices of prawns fluctuate with global supply-demand cycles.
· Labor & Costs – Aquaculture is labor-intensive, requiring skilled technicians for hatcheries, feeding, and quality control.
Rising Global Demand: Seafood consumption, especially prawns, is growing worldwide. Premium Branding: Black tiger prawns from Malaysia have niche appeal as a high-quality product. Sustainability Certification: Meeting eco-label standards (ASC, BAP) opens doors to European and US supermarkets. Value-Added Products: Ready-to-cook frozen prawns cater to changing consumer lifestyles.
A prawn farmer and processor in Malaysia is more than just a seafood supplier — it’s an integrated agribusiness managing the full cycle from hatchery to export. Companies like Camaroe Bhd illustrate how Malaysian aquaculture players are moving beyond small-scale farming into global markets, backed by modern processing facilities, certifications, and vertical integration.
Camaroe Bhd, a prawn farmer and processor
Camaroe Bhd, a prawn farmer and processor, officially launched its initial public offering (IPO) on Friday at an issue price of 14 sen per share, paving the way for its upcoming listing on Bursa Malaysia’s ACE Market.
The IPO represents a major milestone for the aquaculture-focused company, which has built its reputation in prawn farming and seafood processing. Through this exercise, Camaroe Bhd aims to raise fresh funds to expand production capacity, modernize facilities, and strengthen its market position within Malaysia and beyond.
Camaroe Bhd is a vertically integrated aquaculture enterprise specializing in premium black tiger prawns, offering products in both live and frozen formats, tailored for both local and export markets:
Live Black Tiger Prawns. Delivered fresh, directly from Camaroe’s coastal farms. Supplied to local seafood wholesalers, ensuring traceability and freshness.
Frozen Black Tiger Prawns. Camaroe offers two main processed formats: Head-on, Shell-on: Ideal for restaurants and culinary needs that value whole-form prawns. Headless, Peeled: Convenient, ready-to-cook options suited to modern foodservice and B2B channels.
These products are processed at Camaroe’s dedicated facility in Kapar, Selangor, ensuring high standards of hygiene, cold-chain integrity, and quality control.
Ad-hoc Trading of Vannamei and Other Seafood (Complementary). While no longer a core offering, Camaroe occasionally sources and supplies: Vannamei shrimp and other seafood items—procured externally and provided in small quantities for customer convenience. These traded products are not farmed in-house and are offered on request, without holding inventory.
Full Scope of Control: Camaroe’s farm-to-processing model ensures consistency, product traceability, and timely deliveries. Export-Oriented Strategy: The main markets include China, South Korea, and Taiwan, driven by stringent quality certifications like HACCP, GMP, myGAP, and NSF Antibiotic-Free.
Scalable and Flexible: Their product offerings serve multiple market segments—from fresh local supply to high-demand international export.
According to the company’s prospectus, the IPO will comprise a public issue of new ordinary shares alongside an offer for sale of existing shares by key shareholders. This dual approach is designed not only to bring in new capital but also to provide liquidity to early investors.
Proceeds from the IPO are expected to be directed towards: Farm Expansion and Upgrades – Camaroe Bhd plans to enhance its prawn hatcheries and aquaculture farms to boost production output and maintain consistent supply. Processing and Technology – Investments will be made in state-of-the-art seafood processing facilities to meet stringent export standards and cater to growing domestic demand. Working Capital – Additional funds will provide operational flexibility, allowing the company to scale efficiently as demand rises.
The offering is set at 14 sen per share, a pricing decision analysts say reflects both the company’s growth potential and the competitive dynamics of the aquaculture industry.
The timing of Camaroe Bhd’s listing is strategic, as global demand for seafood, particularly prawns, continues to rise. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), global per-capita fish consumption has more than doubled since the 1960s, with prawns ranking among the most traded seafood commodities.
Malaysia’s aquaculture industry plays a significant role in this growth. The country is known for its abundant coastline and favorable farming conditions, making it a natural hub for shrimp and prawn cultivation. Domestically, rising consumer incomes and evolving dietary preferences have also driven higher seafood consumption.
Export prospects remain robust as well. Southeast Asia has become a key supplier of prawns to markets such as China, Japan, the United States, and Europe. With the right expansion strategy, Camaroe Bhd is well positioned to capture both local and international opportunities.
Camaroe Bhd has chosen to list on the ACE Market, Bursa Malaysia’s platform tailored for growth companies with strong expansion potential. Unlike the Main Market, which emphasizes track record and profitability, the ACE Market is designed to nurture emerging businesses across industries.
Listing on the ACE Market allows Camaroe Bhd to: Gain visibility and credibility among investors and business partners. Access funding for expansion without relying heavily on debt. Provide liquidity for shareholders, enabling future fundraising rounds or strategic partnerships.
Industry observers note that aquaculture companies in Malaysia have previously attracted steady investor interest due to their growth potential and resilience as part of the food security and supply chain sector.
In its prospectus, Camaroe Bhd outlined several pillars of its long-term growth strategy: Vertical Integration – Controlling the entire value chain, from hatchery to processing, ensures higher quality and consistency while reducing reliance on external suppliers. Sustainability Practices – With increasing focus on environmental responsibility, the company is working to adopt more sustainable aquaculture practices, including efficient water management and feed utilization.
Export Market Expansion – By meeting international food safety certifications, Camaroe Bhd aims to expand its distribution channels in Asia-Pacific and potentially in Western markets. Product Diversification – Beyond fresh and frozen prawns, the company plans to explore value-added seafood products, including ready-to-cook and processed items.
Investor Sentiment
While aquaculture businesses are not without risks — including disease outbreaks, fluctuating export prices, and environmental challenges — Camaroe Bhd’s IPO comes at a time when investors are seeking exposure to food security-related industries.
Market watchers believe the affordable 14 sen issue price, coupled with the company’s potential for scalability, could generate healthy interest from both retail and institutional investors. The company’s focus on vertical integration and modern processing also sets it apart from smaller, less structured players in the sector.
A Milestone for the Company
For Camaroe Bhd, the IPO is more than just a capital-raising exercise — it is a statement of intent. The company is signaling its ambition to move from a niche aquaculture player into a recognized name in Malaysia’s food production and export industry.
“The IPO represents a new chapter for us,” said the company’s management in a statement. “It will give us the resources to grow sustainably, innovate in aquaculture, and contribute to Malaysia’s role as a key seafood supplier in the region.”
The official listing date on the ACE Market will be confirmed in the coming weeks. Investors and industry players will be watching closely as Camaroe Bhd begins its journey as a publicly traded company with regional aspirations.
