Dames Alexander Sinaga, Jakarta – Indonesia's seafood exports reached $3.62 billion in October, only 51 percent of this year's target, a senior official at the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries said on Friday (15/12).

According to Nilanto Perbowo, director general of product competitiveness at the ministry, the value has, however, increased by 6.38 percent from the past year.

"The export value of Indonesia's seafood products has increased and it is higher than of some competitor countries in Asia – such as Thailand, Vietnam, China and the Philippines," he said, adding that the value increase was thanks to the popularity of prawns, tunas, crabs, squids and seaweed.

The main importers were the United States, Japan, China, the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries.

As the ministry's 2017 export target was $7.62 billion, Nilanto said it was a too optimistic expectation. "If we look at this number, it was unlikely for us to achieve the targeted export value set last year... It seems we were too optimistic."

He added that the 2018 target is $5.3 billion. "Hopefully we will reach it," Nilanto said.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.id/news/seafood-exports-increase-reach-half-target/