It also increases the competition for fishery products from other countries."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Executive Director of Maritime Studies for Humanities Abdul Halim said here on Monday that Trumps protectionist policies, if implemented, would have a negative impact on Indonesias maritime and fishery sectors in the long term.

"The United States has become a market for Indonesias fishery products. If President Donald Trump implements the protectionist program, it will affect Indonesian businesses in the maritime and fishery sectors in the long term," Halim said.

He added that the protectionist program included the increases in tariff on imported goods and the improvement of quality control of fishery products.

"It also increases the competition for fishery products from other countries," he stated.

Indonesia is the second biggest exporter of fisheries products to the US, according to data from the Center of Reform on Economics (CORE) Indonesia.

Therefore, he urged the government to strengthen Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs), in particular fishery products through the provision of subsidies and market access.

In addition, the government should also facilitate capacity building and protect SMEs from the marketing of similar fishery products from other countries, he noted .

Director General of Strengthening Competitiveness Nilanto Perbowo earlier said the countrys export of fishery products increased year-on-year in the first eight months of the year.

"Currently, the demand for our fishery products is high in the United States and Japan," Perbowo told reporters on Dec 31 .

Perbowo said the prices of squid, cuttlefish, octopus and shrimps shot up in the United States, Japan and other export markets.

Exports of squid, cuttlefish and octopus soared 61.64 percent and shrimp exports rose 5.86 percent, Nilanto remarked, quoting figures from the Central Board of Statistics (BPS).

The Trade Ministry said the countrys export of fishery products and seafood were valued at US $861.8 million in the first eight months of the year.

Director General of National Export Promotion Arlinda said export of fishery commodities has continued to increase in value in the January-August period of this year, and the countrys export of fishery commodities and seafood grew 10.76 percent from the same period last year.
(Uu.A063/INE/KR-BSR/A014)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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