Fishery sector aims at US$2b export target<\/p>\n
BOGOR, West Java (JP): The government is aiming at an 11
\npercent growth in the country's fishery exports to US$2 billion
\nthis year from last year's $1.8 billion in spite of numerous
\nproblems currently faced by the sector.<\/p>\n
Director General of Fisheries F.X. Murdjijo said on Saturday
\nthat it is important to increase productivity and exports because
\nfisheries are expected to become the agricultural sector's new
\nsource of growth for the current long-term development plan which
\nstarted in 1994.<\/p>\n
\"The expectation is quite understandable since the fishery
\nsector is very potential, considering that we have used only 40
\npercent of the aquatic resources we own,\" he said when opening a
\none-day seminar on fisheries.<\/p>\n
The seminar was organized jointly by the Bogor Agricultural
\nUniversity's School of Fisheries, the Directorate General of
\nFisheries and the Indonesian Association of Fishery School
\nGraduates.<\/p>\n
Murdjijo said that in the 1993 to 1995 period, the country's
\nfishery production grew by an average of 5.65 percent a year from
\n3.7 million tons to 4.2 million tons. Most of this, or about 77
\npercent, came from marine fisheries, particularly shrimp.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the fishery exports during that period rose by 4.18
\npercent in volume to 574,234 tons in 1995 and by 9.68 percent in
\nvalue to $1.8 billion.<\/p>\n
But Murdjijo acknowledged that the sector would have to solve
\nmany problems before it could sufficiently meet the government's
\ntargets.<\/p>\n
\"The sector is now facing the risk of decreasing resources and
\nenvironmental qualities...and unequal distribution of resource
\nexploitation,\" Murdjijo said.<\/p>\n
Apart from that, there was also a severe shortage of sound
\nfishing vessels, as non-motorized fishing boats owned by poor
\nfishermen made up most of the country's fleets. Such boats were
\nunable to make long trips, thus fishing was concentrated mostly
\nnear the shore.<\/p>\n
Manpower<\/p>\n
He also considered low-quality manpower as a serious problem
\nfaced by the sector.<\/p>\n
\"About 64 percent of our fishermen are primary school dropouts
\nand only 26.2 percent have primary school certificates... This,
\nin turn, causes problems in training and education,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Murdjijo said the long line of problems, and the natural risks
\naffecting fisheries, lead to the sector's poor performance and,
\nin turn, caused banks to avoid giving loans to businesses in that
\nsector.<\/p>\n
I Nengah Suanda, an executive of Bank Rakyat Indonesia, said
\nSaturday that 50 percent to 60 percent of the bank's loans to the
\nfishery sector during the 1990 to 1995 period have gone sour.<\/p>\n
\"For shrimp ponds alone, 75 percent of the bank's Rp 60-
\nbillion loans given in 1990 to 1996 have gone sour,\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to Bank Indonesia (the central bank), only 11.7
\npercent, or less than Rp 10 trillion, of the total loans given to
\nthe agricultural sector during the period between 1991 and
\nFebruary 1996, were allocated to fisheries.<\/p>\n
In comparison, plantations were allocated 69 percent of the
\ntotal loans.<\/p>\n
Bank Rakyat said in its paper at yesterday's seminar that the
\nlow portion of loans given to fisheries and the agricultural
\nsector in general, was caused mainly by the high risks incurred
\nby the products' sensitivity to environmental changes and price
\nfluctuations.<\/p>\n
\"The demand for agricultural products is inelastic and the
\nsector's added value is small compared to other sectors,\" the
\npaper read.<\/p>\n
The bank said that fisheries, shrimp pond businesses in
\nparticular, showed low rates of loan repayment. Some businesses
\nfailed because of errors in cultivation and management
\ntechniques, lack of expertise and unfavorable and unanticipated
\nenvironmental conditions. (pwn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fishery-sector-aims-at-us2b-export-target-1447893297",
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