2-8-2023 (JAKARTA) Teten Masduki, the Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), is actively seeking potential collaborations in fishery product processing with Japan following his visit to Japan’s largest fishing company, Marusen Suisan.
During the visit, Masduki expressed interest in exploring technological partnerships aimed at enhancing the quality and variety of processed seafood products, such as seafood sauces and pickled fish. He emphasized the significant growth in captured fisheries production in Indonesia, with a 2.23 percent increase for marine fisheries and 2.71 percent for inland waters in 2020.
Highlighting the strong export performance of Indonesian fishery products, the minister revealed that the export value reached US$6.24 billion in 2022, with a total volume of 1.22 million tons. In light of these figures, Masduki stressed the potential mutual benefits that a collaboration with Japan could bring, leveraging each other’s expertise to create innovative and market-friendly products.
The primary objective of his working visit was to establish and expand the trade information network for fishery commodities. By sharing market insights and trade data, Masduki believes Indonesia can gain a deeper understanding of consumer preferences and demand patterns, enabling more strategic trade decisions and unlocking growth potential in the fisheries sector.
Apart from engaging with Marusen Suisan, Masduki also visited Nagasaka Unagi Farm, one of Japan’s largest eel farms. Recognizing Indonesia’s significant eel production centers in Banyuwangi and Cilacap districts, he highlighted the opportunity for cooperation with Japan in the eel commodity sector. While foreign demand for eels remains high, around 300 thousand tons annually, Indonesia has not fully met the demand.
Masduki acknowledged Japan’s status as a major export destination for fishery products, particularly eels, and emphasized the potential for strengthening cooperation between the two countries in this domain.
