Agriculture ministry works to boost fishery exports

Agriculture ministry works to boost fishery exports

JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Agriculture plans to develop
marine aquaculture in line with a massive fishery development
program aimed at bolstering exports to US$10.19 billion by 2003,
compared to $2.04 billion in 1998.

Called PROTEKAN-2003, the integrated program will help
fishermen increase production through training and easier access
to financial assistance.

Minister of Agriculture Soleh Solahuddin, who kicked off the
program, said there were great opportunities for expanding
production since only 41 percent of fresh water fish resources
and 0.31 percent of marine fish resources have so far been
tapped.

"The government expects to generate $2.93 billion in export
earnings from sea fisheries and $7.26 from inland and marine
aquaculture," Soleh said.

According to Soleh, the program will accelerate the
development of fishery industries by providing low-interest loans
for fishermen and businesses, easing the regulations on imports
of fishing vessels, expediting the licensing of sea fishing
operations and enhancing fishermen's productivity through
training programs.

Director General of Fisheries Untung Wahyono said the program
would require Rp 34.64 trillion ($4.67 billion) in financing, of
which Rp 30 trillion would come from bank loans and the fisheries
industry and the remainder from the state budget.

He said PROTEKAN-2003 had proposed financial loans for
fishermen amounting to Rp 2.2 trillion with a 10.5 percent
interest rate.

But only Rp 1.8 billion has so far been approved, for 33
village cooperatives in 10 provinces, Untung said.

He said the government would work harder to crack down on
illegal fishing by foreign fishermen and illegal exports.

"Foreign fishermen will no longer be allowed to fish in our
waters starting next year except in cooperation with domestic
companies," Untung said during the opening of a two-day seminar
on marine culture and a fisheries exhibition at the Bidakara
building.

At the opening ceremony, the minister presented awards to 10
companies that had met market standards for the quality of their
fish and fish-related products.

He said that imports of fishing vessels had been eased but the
import of wooden fishing boats was still prohibited, to protect
traditional fishermen.

Untung said fishermen and businesses could now get their
fishing and export permits within 16 days to three weeks,
compared to more than a month previously.

He said marine aquaculture under the 2003 project focused on
seaweed cultivation and carp and pearl farming.

According to Unting, exports of fish and fish products are
expected to reach 800,000 metric tons, worth $2.13 billion, this
year.

Last year, foreign exchange earnings from fishery exports
increased by 7.3 percent to $2.04 billion from $1.9 billion in
1997.

Indonesia exported most of its fishery products to the United
States, European countries, Japan and China. (01)