The Ministry of Maritime
and Fishery IKKPI was asked not to ignore supportive efforts to the upstream
fishery sector especially assistance in production development for fishermen
and fish cultivation toward integration of MEA 2015. Some circles felt there
was no special strategy of the Government for farmers and fishermen who were
edged aside by industrialization. The Government's action plan which were
frequently disclosed before was not strategic and not evenly distributed
between the upstream and downstream sectors. In the masterplan for stepping up
competitiveness in fishery, the Government seed to focus too much on the
processing and industrializing side and seemed to overlook the importance of
production on the farmers' side.
Under such circumstances
the Indonesian Fishermen Union [SNI] rated that Indonesia's strategy in facing
MEA 2015 was too weak to be competitive. Such was evident in the absence of
policies protective to fishermen. Secretary of SNI Budi Laksana made a
statement in Jakarta on Monday [26/5] that so far the fishery sector was not
the main priority of the Government. And yet around 7 million Indonesians
relied their life on the maritime sector. According to Budi, supposedly the
fishery sector was the second most important sustainer to agriculture next to
food.
Budi remarked that
application of technology and preparation of competent human resources in
fishery had not been to the maximum, so the Free Trade Agreement being signed
between Indonesia and Asean was rated as disadvantageous to traditional
fishermen. Budi further remarked that even before the trade agreement with
Asean was executed, imported fish were already sold at lower prices than fish
caught by traditional fishermen.
The same opinion was
expressed by the People's Coalition for Fishery Justice [Kiara]. The Secretary
of Kiara, Abdul Halim rated that readiness of traditional and small business in
fishery was not adequate toward execution of MEA 2015. According to Abdul
Halim, many factors had to be set up by players of the fishery industry like
fishermen, businesspeople and supporting rules by the Government. Based on
participative survey by Kiara in two business locations, i.e. Lampung and
Indramayu, many of them did not know what the Standard of Agricultural Products
[GAP] was, and also Good Fish Cultivation Practices [CBIB] was as sustainable
fishery production process globally applicable.
The condition according to
Halim, was because there was no guidance and counseling by the Government so
products of fishery small business was not ready to compete in Asean Free
Market. To accelerate preparation by players of small industry and traditional
fishermen, Kiara recommended the Government to run two strategic plans.
Firstly, reorientation of
budget of the fishery sector 2014 whereby to promote production capacity, for
example by motivating businessplayers and fishermen to form cooperatives and
self process catch with the aid of the Government.
Secondly, constant guidance
and counseling. So far the Government had set up CRIB certified cultivation
units up to 3,637 by July 2013.
Responding to low
competitiveness of Indonesian fishermen in the Asean region, the Ministry of KKP
had prepared a number of strategy. The Dir. Gen. of Processing and Marketing of
Fishery Yields [PPHK], the Ministry of KKP Saut P. Hutagalung stated that in
implementation of MEA 2015, the Asean region would be a production-based open
market where traffic of goods and services would freely move in accordance with
Asean agreement.
According to Saut,
Indonesia must strengthen competitiveness to anticipate economic integration
and enhancing domestic market potentials. Saut rated that the greatest
challenge in facing MEA 2015 was to strengthen competitiveness of UKM in the
fishery sector and high logistics and transportation cost. (SS)
Business News - May 30, 2014
No comments:
Post a Comment