Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia has overtaken the other ASEAN member states in terms of trade balance in marine and fishery products, said Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti.

"Since the government of the Working Cabinet took office, Indonesia`s trade balance in fishery products has outstripped that of Thailand and Vietnam," she said here on Friday.

According to statistics of the International Trade Center in 2018, Indonesia`s trade balance in fishery products in March 2018 reached US$349,441, ahead of Thailand with US$120,564.

Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) showed Indonesia`s fishery exports in the first half of 2018 reached US$2.2 billion, up 12.88 percent compared to the same period last year.

The ministry is also intensifying its efforts to increase the country`s fishery exports to a number of countries, including Japan, by participating in the Japan International Seafood and Technology Expo (JISTE) this year.

She further said she had introduced the so-called susianisasi concept, which called for an efficient, an effective, a sufficient, an accountable and a product-oriented budget.

Earlier, Director General of Fish Farming of the Maritime Affairs and Fishery Slamet Soebjakto said the regulations issued by the ministry did not hamper the export of fishery products, including those from the country`s outlaying region of Natuna.

Reporting by Muhammad Razi Rahman
Editing by Bustanuddin

Reporter: Muhammad Razi Rahman
Editor: Bustanuddin
Copyright © ANTARA 2018