Indonesian tuna exports enter Middle East market

An Indonesian fisheries product, pre-cooked tuna, has penetrated the fish market in the Middle East following an inaugural export of 10 containers worth US$90,000 per container to Iran.

Director General of Fisheries Processing and Marketing (P2HP) at the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Martani Huseini revealed the inaugural export of pre-cooked tuna to Iran was part of the export diversification to the Middle East.

Data by P2HP showed that there were 25 fish processing units exporting product to the Middle East currently.

Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Fadel Muhammad explained opportunities to bolster export to the Middle East were still high. This is to support the ministry's strategy to make Indonesia the largest maritime and fisheries product producer in the world by 2015.

The traditional markets for fisheries exports all this time have been the US, Europe, and Japan, which represent 70% of the total market, followed by Asean countries (12%), East Asian countries like China and South Korea (11%), and Africa, Latin America, former Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.

Indonesian fisheries products exported to the Middle East are, among others, frozen tuna, canned tuna, squid, and shrimp.

President Director of Pasific Harvest, the exporter, Aminoto hoped the export to Iran could reach 30-40 containers per shipment.

Director of Foreign Marketing at the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Saut P. Hutagalung explained Indonesian products entered the Middle East through two entry points, Dubai and Iran, which are expected to become connectors to distribute fisheries products.

In addition, Indonesia will also make use of the Developing 8 (D8) forum consisting of Indonesia, Nigeria, Egypt, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan.