RI's Exports Canned Tuna Fish Up 13 Percent

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Indonesia's exports of canned tuna fish rose 13 percent year-on-year to US$160.4 million in the first half of the year.

"The crisis besetting the United States  and Europe had no significant effect on tuna exports," Saud Hutagalung, the director general of fishery product marketing, said.

Exports rose 41. percent to  the United States  and 18.2 percent to Japan , Saud said on Saturday .

Demand is high for canned fishes from Indonesia, unlike fresh tuna or shrimp for which demand is on the decline, he said.

He said Indonesia is big producer of tuna fish to feed fish canneries mainly in North Sulawesi and East Java.(IGT)