Last year, the country`s tuna fish exports reached 141,774 tons worth US$499 million.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia hopes to chalk up further increase in its tuna fish exports this year after a strong growth recorded last year.
Last year, the country`s tuna fish exports reached 141,774 tons worth US$499 million, up from 122,450 tons in the previous year, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sharif C. Sutardjo said.
The main export destinations for Indonesia`s tuna fish are Japan and the United States, Sharif said at the Ocean Fishing Terminal of Cilacap in Central Java on Monday.
He said he had no figure for exports so far this year but the trend is increasing.
He said the country`s earning from tuna fish exports has increased steadily since 2009, when exports were valued at US$352 million, up to US$383 million in 2010.
He said the country is seeking to expand the export market for its fish production including tuna.
Indonesia is one of the largest tuna fish producers in ASEAN which accounted for 26.2 percent of the world`s production of 1.7 million tons in 2007.
The country`s production of tuna and skipjack in 2011 reached 955,520 tons with tuna making up 230,580 tons.
The minister visited Cilacap to hand over a financial aid of Rp1.2 billion for 12 cooperatives of fishermen.(Uu.AS/H-ASG/S012)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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