Fishery Exports Projected 19 Pct Increase

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry has projected the country's fishery product exports to increase by 19 percent this year to US$5 billion.

"We are optimistic about achieving the target of US$5 billion the more so because the market base for our fishery product exports has expanded to Africa and the Middle East," Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister  Sharif Cicip Sutardjo said in a written statement released on Thursday.

He noted that fishery product export performance has been moving to value added products as indicated by 11.49 percent growth of fishery product trade balance.

Last year, Indonesia recorded a surplus of 76.47 percent in its fishery product trade balance.

Indonesia's fishery product exports hit an all time high of US$3.52 billion in 2011. Therefore, the ministry revised upward the target of fishery exports to US$4.2 billion last year.(*/DWA)