The Indonesia Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry on Monday revealed that one of the strategies for facing this year’s global recession will be done by exporting fish to the Middle Eastern market. This was announced by the Ministry’s directorate general of maritime and fisheries competitiveness strengthening.
According to the directorate general’s director of marketing, Erwin Dwiyana, one of the ways is by exporting 500 tons of fish to provide for the catering of Indonesian Hajj pilgrims.
“It will start from Saudi Arabia with a captive market of at least 200,000 and provide food in Madina and Mecca,” said Erwin at the Ministry’s headquarters in Central Jakarta on February 21.
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He said that a deal has been made by business owners and they agreed to boost the export of several types of marine products that will be consumed by Indonesian hajj participants. However, Erwin explained that the Ministry is working on the technical processes with the Saudi Arabian authorities.
Erwin estimated that Indonesia’s fish exports to Saudi Arabia will not stop fulfilling the consumption of pilgrims. He considers this step to be the beginning of the expansion of exports of Indonesian fish products throughout the Middle East region.
Previously, the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, pushed for Indonesia’s marine and fisheries sector to break into the top five world exports. According to the minister, if Indonesia’s marine and fisheries resources are managed properly, their existence can contribute more than 6-7 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP).
Tempo.co
