JAKARTA, Feb. 20, 2014 (ANTARA) -- The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) keeps striving to implement its commitment in boosting the Indonesia's fishery product export. One of the international targeted markets is the Europe Union, particularly France. Represented by MMAF's Directorate General of Fisheries Production Marketing and Processing (FPMP), MMAF signed the MoU with the Indonesian French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI) - the French Chamber of Commerce in Jakarta, on Feb. 20.

The MoU on the Development of Fisheries Product Processing and Marketing was signed by the Director General of FPMP, Saut P. Hutagalung and the Chairman of IFCCI, Alain Pierre Mignon. The MoU signing was witnessed by the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of Republic of Indonesia, Sharif C. Sutardjo, and the French Ambassador to Indonesia and Timor Leste, Corinne Breuzé.

Sharif stated that France is agreed to provide the fishery product market information dissemination in France to the Indonesian exporters as well as providing the assistance over the development of the Indonesian fishery product market access to France. Meanwhile, the MoU coverage that will be the partnership priorities to both parties includes; France will facilitate the business meeting and the promotion activity of the Indonesian fishery product in France; the fishery expert exchange in favor of the fishery product processing industry development in Indonesia; and France will host an investment forum on the Indonesian fishery product processing and marketing industry. The MoU will be valid for three years after it is signed by both parties.

The Minister explained that the partnership between MMAF and IFCCI is indispensably necessary to support the sustainable fishery and marine industrialization. The direct partnership will stimulate the national fishery entrepreneurs to produce the more qualified and competitive products. "This partnership is expected to give benefit to the national fishery industry, particularly to help them penetrate the French market as well as creating the fishery and marine investment realization to support the blue economy concept," Mr. Sutardjo conveyed.

Mr. Sutardjo continued that the Indonesian fishery export to France and EU can sustainably be escalated and to have impact to boost the investment value as well as creating valued added. This expectation is on the heels of the significant increase of the Indonesian fishery product export to France, which on the 2011-2012 periods it was up from US$ 31,624,837 to 35.807.489 - thanks to the significant contribution of the seaweed export increase. "Up to November 2013, Indonesian fishery export to France exceeded US$ 43.431.665 or up 33,5% compared to the last year," he explained.

In order to drive the marine and fishery investment, the Indonesian government has issued a new policy to create a conducive investment climate so as to invite more new investors along with facilitating the mediation, promotion and minimizing the administrative barriers for the investors. "MMAF has issued a number of policies concerning to facilitating the mediation and investment promotion. It's all expected to provide a comprehensive outline of how big it is the investment opportunity on the marine and fishery sectors in Indonesia,"


Industrialization Policy

The Minister added that the industrialization policy has positively impacted the national fishery product. Of the food supply alone, both sectors contributed 5.16 million tons or up 6,8% compared to the last year. The fishery export income until November 2013 surpassed US$ 3.77 billion, which is expected to hit US$ 4.5 billion in the end of the year. The top export destinations are US, Japan, and EU, with shrimp and tuna as the main commodity. On 2013, the fishery sector was estimated to contribute to The Gross Domestic Product (GDB) up to Rp.291.79 trillion or up 14.28% compared to 2012. "We are optimistic that the marine and fishery sectors will play a significant role as the main food supplying sector, the foreign exchange earnings source, the poverty eradicator, the employment provider, and ultimately as the country's income booster," he concluded.

For more information, please contact:

Anang Noegroho
Head of Statistic and Data Center
The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries
+62-21-351-9070









Editor: PR Wire
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