BKHIT Maluku monitors tuna product quality to bolster export competitiveness
Ambon (ANTARA) - The Maluku Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine Agency (BKHIT) is strengthening supervision over the quality and food safety of tuna products from Maluku to maintain the commodity’s competitiveness in international export markets.
The Head of BKHIT Maluku, Willy Indra Yunan, stated in Ambon on Tuesday that supervision is being conducted through monitoring and surveillance activities regarding the implementation of Good Fish Quarantine Practices (CKIB) at fish quarantine installations in Maluku. This is part of an effort to guarantee the quality of the region’s leading fishery products.
“Through consistent supervision, we ensure that every operational stage runs according to standards so that marketed frozen and fresh tuna products possess the best quality and are able to compete in both national and international markets,” he said.
He explained that the surveillance activities carried out by Quarantine Inspectors are focused on frozen and fresh tuna to ensure the implementation of food safety standards, biosecurity systems, and the prevention of the entry and spread of Quarantine Fish Pests and Diseases (HPIK).
According to Willy, the implementation of CKIB serves not only as an instrument for controlling fish diseases but also as a guarantee of the quality and safety of products produced before they are marketed or exported.
In its execution, the Quarantine Inspector team conducts thorough inspections of installation facilities, quality management systems, supporting documents, and the standard operating procedures (SOP) implemented by companies. This evaluation is carried out to ensure all operational aspects consistently meet technical requirements and CKIB principles, ranging from raw material receipt and handling processes to storage and product distribution.
Willy stated that supervising fish quarantine installations is a vital part of maintaining the reputation of Maluku’s fishery products in the global market, particularly for the tuna commodity, which is one of the region’s mainstay exports.
Fishery data shows that the total export value of fisheries in Maluku Province in 2025 reached 54.30 million USD, an increase compared to 2024, which stood at 44.79 million USD. From this achievement, tuna commodities—especially Frozen Yellowfin Tuna Loin, fillets, and other processed products—have become the second-largest contributor to foreign exchange for the non-live fishery commodity group after Vannamei shrimp.
Primary export destinations for Maluku tuna include the United States, China, Japan, and Vietnam, which have long been potential markets for high-quality fishery products from eastern Indonesia.
The increase in export value demonstrates the importance of strengthening quarantine systems and quality supervision to maintain international market confidence in Maluku’s fishery products.
“We continue to encourage the implementation of good quarantine and biosecurity standards in every fishery business unit. With maintained quality, Maluku’s tuna products will be increasingly accepted in the global market and provide added value to the regional economy,” he said.
He added that the synergy between BKHIT Maluku and fishery business actors is expected to strengthen the quality assurance system for fishery products, expand export market access, and increase the fisheries sector’s contribution to economic growth and national foreign exchange earnings.