"This collaboration has the potential to increase the trade volume of Indonesian fishery products to Australia," Head of the Marine and Fisheries Product Quality Control and Supervision Agency (Badan Mutu) of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), Ishartini, stated in Jakarta on Monday.
Ishartini remarked that her office recently held a bilateral meeting with Deputy Secretary of Biosecurity Operations and Compliance of DAFF Australia, Justine Saunders, to discuss business processes, organizational duties and functions, and opportunities for cooperation in the trade of fishery commodities.
"The meeting with DAFF Australia was very productive, and Indonesia submitted a priority proposal to become a point of bilateral cooperation," Ishartini noted.
She stated that several topics were discussed during the meeting, including assistance in fulfilling the voluntary government certification mechanism and a proposed dialogue on redrafting the mutual recognition arrangement (MRA).
Additionally, technical assistance is being provided in developing guidance for post-border market control and recall procedures, joint inspections, and knowledge and technology sharing in microbiological quality testing.
She explained that the collaboration with DAFF Australia is crucial in facilitating the smooth and expeditious entry of Indonesian fishery commodities into the Australian market, ensuring stable demand, which will impact the Indonesian supply chain.
"(This is) especially (important) because the Australian fisheries market is also attractive to competitors such as Thailand and Vietnam," she explained.
According to Ishartini, cooperation on the equivalency of the SJMKHP system will encourage Indonesia's efforts to diversify both its commodities and export destinations.
"Australia is a strategic market because it is relatively close to us geographically and the demand for fishery products is promising," she remarked.
Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono earlier emphasized the crucial role of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries' Quality Agency in overseeing SJMKHP throughout the supply chain, for the benefit of both the Indonesian people and global consumers who require healthy, nutritious, and quality food.
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Translator: Arie Novarina
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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