"Indonesia receives more income from cultivated fish than from those in the sea."Batam (ANTARA News) - The Maritime and Fisheries Affairs Ministry has announced that Indonesian fish exports have reached US$4 billion, but the country is still lagging behind Thailand and Vietnam in the sector, according to the ministry`s official.
Maritime and Fisheries Affairs Ministry (KKP) secretary general Gellwyn Jusuf made the statement here on Wednesday, without providing details about the total value of fish exports from Thailand and Vietnam.
"Indonesia receives more income from cultivated fish than from those in the sea," he said.
According to Jusuf, the country turns out five million tons of cultivated fish compared to three million tons of the fish from the sea annually.
"We cannot hope too much from our fishing activities in the sea," he said.
"However, we need to improve the competitiveness of our fish products," Jusuf pointed out.
He also expressed hope that Indonesia could increase the production of processed fish for export.
With regard to the illegal fishing, Jusuf noted that it was unavoidable.
(Uu.B003/INE/KR-BSR/S012)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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