Thursday, 4 July 2013

AQUACULTURE TO BECOME THE BAROMETER OF NATIONAL FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT



Aquaculture subsector is now a major barometer to support the national fisheries development, along with the phenomenon that capture fish production showed a stagnant trend and even declining production from year to year. This has become a major challenge for the Directorate General of Aquaculture in realizing aquaculture as the spearhead in moving the national economy and food security. In an effort to realize the great expectation, a strategic policy implemented by cooperation and synergy of all aquaculture stakeholders is required.

Slamet Subijakto, Director General of Aquaculture of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, in Jakarta on Monday (5/6), that the government has set a policy direction in order to increase aquaculture production. Citing data of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, aquaculture production up to the first quarter of 2013 reached 2,250,000 tons. This achievement is higher than the production in the first quarter of last year amounted to 2,032,000 tons. The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries is setting target of aquaculture production in 2013 at 13.09 million tons. This target is higher than the 2012 target of 9.4 million tons.

Slamet said that to achieve the target, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries should at least prepare four strategies and superior fish parents. The use of technology for intensive, efficient, and profitable cultivation. Integrating different commodities and utilizing water reservoirs. He explained that aquaculture development strategy is also implemented through science-based production, productivity that will serve as the accelerator of national aquaculture production systems oriented to global and local market trends.

According to Slamet, to be able to produce food, particularly aquaculture products that meet the quality requirements are not enough to rely solely on final on final testing in the laboratory. But, there should also be a Quality Assurance System through the application of CBIB (good fish farming practices) since the pre-production to post-production. Slamet added that through the efforts made by the government. The European Commission has revoked CD 220/20120 on compulsory testing of antibiotic residues of Indonesian aquaculture products entering the European Union in November 2012. “With the removal of this rule, Indonesian aquaculture products will be easier to enter the European Union market which will increase foreign exchange revenue”, said Salmet.

Citing data of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Fisheries GDP growth in 2011 – 2012 reached 6. %. The Fisheries GDP growth is higher than the national GDP growth of 6.23% and well above the agricultural GDP growth at only 3.97%. Meanwhile, fisheries production in 2012 reached 15. 26 million tons, where capture fisheries production accounted for 5.81 million tons and aquaculture production 9.45 million tons. This achievement has exceeded the target set in 2012 which amounted to 14.86 million tons.

Slamet said that the value of fishery export in 2012 reached USD3.93 billion, up 11.62% over the previous year, while the value of imports of fishery products declined by 15.43%. Thus, there was a surplus in the fisheries trade balance of USD3.52 billion, or 81.11% at the time the national trade balance showed a deficit of – USD1.33 billion. Level of fish consumption per capita also showed an encouraging development, in 2010-2012 an average increase of 5.44% per year. In 2012, the achievement level of fish consumption reached 33.89 kg/capita or 102.26% of the target set in the previous year at 33.14kg/capita. (E)    


Business News - May 8, 2013

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