October 16, 2006

Indonesia on track to hit shrimp output target of 350,000 tonnes

Indonesia's Ministry of Marine Resources and Fisheries believed that the 2006 national shrimp production, projected at 350,000 tonnes, would be achievable, Made L. Nurjana, the ministry`s director general of fish breeding said last week.

Almost 60 percent would come from intensive breeding programmes, and the remainder from traditional fish ponds.

Nurjana was responding to previous criticism that the government would be unable to reach the target.

Nurjana said if his department had been sticking faithfully to the intensive breeding programme and as a result, made significant progress in North Sumatra, West Kalimantan and South Sulawesi.

Judging from the current rate of progress made in shrimp breeding in the different cities, Nurjana said he is confident the target would be achieved.