Fish milk idea for Prabowo's free lunch scheme causes a stir

Some say ingredient might not be best for kids; others note its eco-friendly potential

- Hariz Baharudin

Indonesia Correspondent JAKARTA The potential use of "fish milk” as an ingredient in Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto's free lunch programme has created a stir, with some questioning if the solution is truly healthy or simply hard to swallow.

In Indonesia, fish milk is made from locally produced fish protein processed into powder form, and then turned into a liquid and flavoured to hide its "fishy" origins.

Talk of using fish milk for the free lunch programme started in early September, when the president director of local food company ID Food, Mr Sis Apik Wijayanto, announced how studies were ongoing to explore alternatives to cow's milk.

"There may be alternative products that can replace cow's milk.

Everything is under study. For example, milk from fish is also available," he told reporters on Sept 4 in Jakarta.

It has been reported that stateowned ID Food will be involved in rolling out Mr Prabowo's meal plan. The programme, which will officially start in January 2025, will cost 71 trillion rupiah (S$5.9 billion) and aims to provide lunch every day for all children in the country.

The Indonesian government played a key role in launching fish milk in 2023. It was developed as part of a government-backed effort led by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries to downstream fishery products and capitalise on the archipelago's abundant fish resources.