Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) expressed hope that Indonesia will become a world fish processing center in line with the world maritime axis concept proposed by President Joko Widodo.

"We are optimistic that by turning Indonesia into a world fish processing center, its exports will increase from US$4.1 billion in 2013 to US$40 billion in 2019," Kadin chairman for marine affairs and fisheries Yugi Prayanto said here on Monday.

Yogi urged the government to take immediate steps to transform Indonesia into a world fish processing center, considering that Indonesia's fisheries sector has great potential.

He remarked that the government should take several important measures such as standardizing all fisheries products so that they can be officially registered at regional and international levels.

Besides that, the government should also begin world fish processing in Indonesia based on its standardized procedures.

"It will be the same as establishing Starbucks or McDonald's in Indonesia because the quality of products in these international food chains is the same as that in the United States," Yogi pointed out, adding that Indonesia could thus develop a world fisheries processing center.

The Kadin deputy general chairman cited that the world fish processing center could also involve other countries, for instance by importing salmon from Australia and Norway and processing it in Indonesia.

According to Yogi, this will greatly benefit Indonesia as the country's labor cost has been relatively lower than that in other fish-producing countries.

This will also encourage the government to develop skilled local manpower, which will be able to compete with workers from other countries, besides encouraging national banks to increase their investments in processing industries.

"The materials that come from overseas can be processed into finished, ready-to-serve products that can be further exported to advanced countries," he stated. (WDY)

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Editor : I Gusti Bagus Widyantara


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