DENGKIL, Oct 8 (Bernama) -- The Federal Government will give a two sen discount per kilogram (kg) for fish imported using Fish Insulated Boxes (FIB) to encourage its use.

Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Noh Omar said fish importers would only be imposed a service charge of three sen per kg, compared with five sen per kg for using ordinary fish containers.

"Through the incentive, local fish importers will receive a 60 percent discount. For example, if they use ordinary containers, they will be charged RM850 for 30kg but with the incentive, they will only be charged RM450for (30kg), RM475 (50kg) and RM490 (100kg).

"With the savings, it is hoped it will give them the opportunity to buy more of these containers in the future," he said at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM) Headquarters in Pulau Meranti here, Thursday.

However, Noh said the incentive would only be valid until February next year because as of March 1, the government would fully enforced the use of insulated box.

"I feel the incentive for a period of four months would be sufficient for the local fish importers to change from ordinary containers to the FIB," he said.

It is estimated that about 25 percent of the 3,000 fish importers nationwide were using FIB.

Meanwhile, the LKIM headquarters build on a 46.53 hectare site at a cost of RM130.9 million, is expected to be ready by early 2011.

-- BERNAMA