Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan stated that the absorption of fishermen’s catches is aimed at providing price certainty for fishermen.
“Fishermen should have certainty of profit. They should not work hard at sea only to arrive on land and face unclear prices for their fish,” Hasan said while meeting fishermen in Red and White Fishermen Village, Lateng Sub-district, Banyuwangi, on Thursday.
The government has prepared a supporting ecosystem for fishermen ranging from cold storage facilities and ice factories to the Fishermen Village program.
These facilities were prepared so that fishermen would no longer be forced to sell fish at low prices when catches are abundant.
“This is so fishermen can have stronger bargaining power. So far, after returning from sea, they have had to accept whatever price is offered because if the fish are not sold, they can spoil,” he remarked.
Hasan explained that the availability of cold storage and cooperatives would help fishermen store their catches when market prices decline.
If the fish are still not absorbed by the market they could later be purchased by the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units for the national meal program.
“Later, once everything is ready, if fishermen catch a large amount of fish and prices fall, the fish can be stored first,” he said.
The minister noted that if the market does not purchase the stock then the state units will buy them to ensure price certainty.
"We have arranged it that way so fishermen will have price certainty,” he said.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to synchronize local food production with national nutritional goals under the current administration.
Related news: Government provides over 1,500 fishing vessels to assist fishermen
Related news: Indonesia targets 1,386 fishing villages by end-2026: Prabowo
Translator: Novi, Kenzu
Editor: Arie Novarina
Copyright © ANTARA 2026
