Karangasem, Bali Province (ANTARA News) - The marine and fishery affairs ministry has set itself the target of increasing national shrimp production in the 2010-2014 period by 74-75 percent or from 400,000 tons to 699,000 tons.
"Shrimp aquaculture business opportunities are still wide open in Indonesia and there are also great f land and aquaculture technology potentials among the public," Marine and Fishery Affairs Minister Fadel Muhammad said here Monday.
The targeted 699,000 tons would consist of 500,000 tons of vannamei shrimp and 199,000 tons of tiger shrimp.
To achieve the target, the ministry estimated that the country would need 43.22 million tons of shrimp fry.
Indonesia has 1.2 million hectares of potential pond areas, and 613,000 hectares of them are being exploited, according to the minister.
Minister Fadel said Indonesia would strive for self-sufficiency in mother shrimp supply by developing a number of prime shrimp and scallop production centers, including the one to be inaugurated by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at Bugbug village, Karangasem District, Bali Province, Monday.
The shrimp and scallop production center has a production capacity of 675,000 shrimps annually and is run under the auspices of the marine and fishery affairs ministry.
The minister said shrimp remains Indonesia`s main aquaculture export commodity besides seaweed and tuna.
In 2009, Indonesia`s shrimp exports reached 240,250 tons or 27.29 prcent from its total aquaculture exports amounting to 881,413 tons worth 1.576 billion US dollar or 63.3 percent from the total value of its aquaculture fish exports worth 2.466 billion US dollars.
(Uu.P003/HAJM/R013/P003)
