Govt boosts shrimp exports

JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Agriculture will support development of about 500,000 hectares of shrimp ponds nationwide this year to boost exports, a senior official said Saturday.

Director General of Fisheries F.X. Murdjijo explained the development would be concentrated in eastern provinces, known as major production areas for fish and fish-related products.

He said the new ponds were expected to earn Rp 10 billion in profit in each harvesting period.

Prospects for shrimp exports were good, he said, due to the increase in shrimp prices in foreign markets, currently reaching US$12 per kilogram.

Last year, exports were US$1.97 billion, an increase of 2.54 percent over $1.05 billion in 1996. Top export destinations were Japan, Singapore and the United States. (gis)