"As a force driving the people`s economy, the fishery sector has a strong link and synergy with the agriculture`s sector," Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad said in a press statement received by ANTARA News here Tuesday.
The minister also viewed "The Minapadi program" as a solution to deal with low fishery and agricultural production levels due to extreme weather induced by climate change.
The program could increase land productivity, farmers` income, boost agricultural product diversity, soil fertility, water supply to minimize agricultural pests, according to the minister.
In order to boost the earnings, farmers should select certain types of freshwater fish and paddy in accordance with the land condition, absorption capacity and high economic value, he said.
In the Minapadi program, farmers usually select gold fish, tilapia fish, Nilem Fish (Osteochilus hasselti C.V.), and tawes fish (Puntius javanicus Blkr), as well as prawns.
Based on the ministry`s data, the aquaculture production from all centers in 2010 reached 5.478 million tons or 50.55 percent from the total fishery production in 2010 of 10.835 million tons.
In 2011, the aquaculture production is expected to reach 6.8 million tons from the total fishery production of 12.26 million tons.
The contribution of fishery sector on the gross national product until the 2010 third quarter had come to 3.14 percent, above the set target of 3.0 percent for the year.
The value of fishery exports up to December 2010 was recorded at 2.66 billion US dollars, or an increase of 8.05 percent compared to 2.46 billion US dollars in 2009. The target in this sector was not achieved due to various factors affecting production, including diseases in shrimp production and climate change.
(T. M040/F001/HAJM/P003)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
