KKP issued a statement saying it was facilitating a deal with Japan to remove tariffs from exports of tuna, skipjack and eastern little tuna as part of the amended Indonesia–Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (IJEPA).
“With no tariffs, our tuna and skipjack exports will become more competitive, and we are optimistic that Indonesia can become number one in Japan,” said Machmud, acting director general for the Competitiveness Strengthening of Marine and Fisheries Products (PDS) of the KKP.
Currently, Indonesia’s exports of canned and non-canned processed products to Japan are subject to an export of 9.6 per cent.
Machmud highlighted the strength of tuna and skipjack exports to Japan.
According to KKP, the exports to Japan are valued at U$30.28m, placing them third in rankings.
Furthermore, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is currently at 13.28 per cent, outperforming Thailand and the Philippines, which recorded CAGRs of 12.12 per cent and 6.31 per cent, respectively.
Tuna and skipjack are currently Indonesia’s second-largest export commodities, accounting for a 17 per cent market share.
Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono said he was optimistic that Indonesia could expand tuna and skipjack exports to Japan, Singapore, and other international markets.
In order to grow its exports, he underscored the importance of cold storage infrastructure to maintain product quality, enhance competitiveness, and support the expansion of tuna exports
Improving traceability
In November last year, Indonesia implemented a government-operated seafood traceability system.
The National Fish Traceability and Logistics System (Stelina) was developed in line with the standards set by the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST).
The country claims to be the first in the world to do this at a national level.
Adopting the GDST standard through Stelina is a strategic move to strengthen Indonesia’s position in the global seafood market.
Globally, buyers increasingly demand end-to-end supply chain transparency to ensure legal, sustainable and responsible fishing and processing practices.
With Stelina, will be able to verify the origin of their fish, including the specific catching methods and processing details.
This capability alone is expected to increase international confidence in Indonesian seafood exports dramatically, said KKP.
KKP plans to roll out Stelina across all major fishing centres in Indonesia to strengthen product traceability, support fisheries downstream, and increase value creation along the supply chain, while underpinning national economic growth and ecological sustainability.
