Bali, Sept. 7, 2013 (ANTARA) -- Indonesia is the world's largest producer of the South Sea Pearl with 43% of the world supply. Indonesia's world trade value is ranked 9th with an export value of US$ 29.4 million or 2.07% of the total value of the world's pearl export, which reaches US$ 1.4 billion. Indonesia's trade value is still below Hong Kong, China, Japan, Australia, Tahiti, USA, Switzerland and the UK. While the Indonesian pearl export destinations are Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, South Korea, Thailand, Switzerland, India, New Zealand and France. This was conveyed by the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Sharif C. Sutardjo, at the Pre-Launching of the Indonesian South Sea Pearls Book, in Nusa Dua, Bali, on September 7.




Sharif asserted, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) is optimistic to be able to increase the value of pearl exports given Indonesia has and master the instrumental supporting factors, such as the area of cultivation, the labors, the equipment and technology supports. To realize these targets, the MMAF has completed six development projects; the oyster broodstock Center development in Karang Asem, Bali; The establishment of the Non-consumptive Product Development Directorate under the MMAF's Directorate General of Processing and Marketing of Fishery Products (PMFP); the establishment of Indonesian Pearl Subcommission on the Fisheries Product Commission under the coordination of PMFP DG; the Initiative of the pearl Indonesian National Standards (SNI) Issuance which has now already been issued (ISO 4989:2011); the partnership between MMAF and Indonesian Asociation of Pearl Cultivation (ASBUMI) to annually conduct the Indonesia Pearls Festival as one of the media to improve the quality, quantity and the marketing of pearls in the domestic and international markets. "To protect the Indonesian pearl producer, MMAF has issued the Ministerial Regulation No.8 of 2013 on the Pearl Quality Control Logged into the Territory of the Republic of Indonesia,"said Sharif.




Indonesia is a producer of South Sea pearls Pearl (SPS) derived of Pinctada Maxima shells both naturally or cultured. The cultivation centers of Pinctada Maxima in Indonesia spread in a number areas, such as Lampung, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, North Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, Gorontalo, Maluku, North Maluku and West Papua. "The Indonesian SPS is unique. It can be seen from its pearl's color and its dazzling, eternal sparkle and so it's very popular in the international market, and is usually traded in the form of loose and jewelery," explained Sharif.




Pearl, Sharif continued, is one of the leading commodities of marine and fisheries sector. It's proven by the market's increasing demand and the year-to-year pearl's price keeps increasing. Therefore, as the efforts to improve the competitiveness of the Indonesian pearls, MMAF is gladly excited to welcome the publication of Indonesian South Sea Pearl book in order to strengthen Indonesia's South Sea Pearls branding domestically and internationally. "On this occasion, MMAF would like to wholeheartedly appreciate and congratulate the author of Indonesian South Sea Pearls book, Mrs. Ingrid Sutardjo and Mrs. Nunik Anurningsih as they promote the South Sea Pearls to the world," conluded the Minister.




Editor: PR Wire
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