May 11, 2017

Indonesia's aquaculture production grows 3% in 1st quarter

Indonesian aquaculture production in the first quarter increased 3.11% to 3.90 million tonnes of fish compared with the same period in 2016.

According to a news report by the Jakarta Times, the value of aquaculture fish reached Rp30.90 trillion (US$2.31 billion), or a 37% increase from Rp22.5 trillion.

"The achievement is a result of the budget spending policy, which was 'money following function' and 'money following prioritised programs'", said the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry's aquaculture directorate general, Slamet Soebjakto, according to Jakarta Post, citing a report by kontan.co.

Slamet said the production of decorative fish increased 7.4% from 326.10 million fish to 350.45 million worth Rp2.48 billion.

The government plans to develop aquaculture in 34 provinces this year, covering 173 regencies and cities, Slamet said, adding that it would distribute some 100 million young fish to farmers to revitalise 250 units of floating nets to grow fish and distribute insurance premium for 3,300 hectares of fish farms.

The government is reported to also revitalise fishponds in 20 regencies/cities, develop fishponds for catfish in 60 regencies/cities and open offshore aquaculture in Sabang, Aceh; Pangandaran, West Java; and Karimunjava, Central Java.

"Aquaculture has a strategic function, economically, socially and geopolitically, particularly because it has great potential to improve welfares of the people. It is our job to make this business more effective and efficient so that it will greatly affect the national economy soon", Slamet was quoted as saying.