Jakarta, July 29 (Antara) - As fish is one of the staple food items,
the demand for processed fish in the country has increased drastically
to about 60 percent during the fasting month.
"During the fasting month and in the face of the Lebaran festivities
this year, the demand for processed fish products rose by about 50 to 60
percent," Director General for Processing and Marketing of Fishery
Products of the Maritime and Fisheries Affairs Ministry (KKP) Saut
Hutagalung remarked on Tuesday.
However, despite the increase in the demand for processed fishery
products, there was no undue escalation in prices as they were under
control and the increase only ranged between 20 and 30 percent.
Indonesia, which had a per capita fish consumption of 30.4 kilograms
per annum in 2010 and has begun viewing its maritime sector as a key
source of economic gain, has set a fish production target of about 21
million tons this year.
KKP spokesman Yulistyo Mudho noted that the country's per capita fish
consumption in 2010 was recorded at 30.47 kilograms per annum, an
increase from 29.08 kilograms noted in 2009.
"The
increase in fish consumption helped to improve the people's
intelligence levels and utilize the national fish production, which is
set to reach 22.39 million tons in 2014," Mudho stated several years
ago.
Even though the per capita fish consumption of its people is still
relatively low, yet during the recently concluded fasting month,
Indonesia saw increasing demand for processed fish.
According to the director general, processed fishery products that were
increasingly in demand by consumers were 'otak-otak' or fish paste,
smoked and deboned 'bandeng' (milk fish), and fish meat balls.
The director general stated that on the basis of observation across
modern retail markets, processed fish products became a prima donna
commodity purchased by consumers in the face of the Lebaran holidays.
"Basically, it is the same as two to three years ago, when milk fish
was part of the menu served in family kitchens," he added.
Fortunately, there was no price turmoil during the fasting month and in
the run up to the Idul Fitri or Lebaran festivities.
"During the fasting month and in the lead-up to the Idul Fitri
holidays, fish stocks remained adequate with prices relatively under
control," asserted Hutagalung on Tuesday.
The fish stocks remained adequate in several big cities such as the
capital city of Jakarta, South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar,
East Java provincial capital of Surabaya, Medan of North Sumatra,
Bandung of West Java, Semarang of Central Java, Yogyakarta, and Padang
of West Sumatra.
The director general admitted to a decline in saltwater fish stocks in
line with reduced activities of fishermen and traders at the retail
markets such as in Muara Baru in Jakarta and the Caringin Market in
Bandung.
He
added that most of the fish stocks or about 65 percent at the Caringin
Market were saltwater fish while the remaining 35 percent were
freshwater fish.
The fish supplies to the Ciroyom Market meanwhile accounted for about
70 to 80 tons per day, most of which were shrimps and milk fish.
Milk fish is one of the varieties of saltwater fish, which has been in
high demand. Makassar, the provincial capital of South Sulawesi, is the
main supplier of milk fish. More than 140 tons of milk fish were
dispatched from Makassar to East Java, from where they were then
supplied to various markets in Java, including Jakarta.
The main supply of ready-to-serve processed milk fish comes from
Sidoarjo in East Java and Semarang in Central Java. It is then supplied
to Jakarta, Bandung (West Java), Bogor (West Java), Malang and Surabaya
in East Java.
Boiled fish supplied to the markets in the run up to Lebaran came from
the cities of Rembang, Pati, Juwana, Prigi, Pelabuhanratu, Sukabumi,
Bekasi, Tangerang, Serang, and Bogor.
"The markets are also filled with supplies of various other types of
processed products such as fish dumplings, 'tekwan' fish, milk fish
sausages, smoked catfish, shredded fish, and milk fish satay (which is
locally produced by small scale businesses). Of course, fish 'pempek' is
also abundant in the market," he added.
In
the meantime, Jakarta's fish requirement reached about 600 tons per
day, which is met with supplies from the Muara Angke Market. The Muara
Baru Market contributes 350 tons while the remaining 250 tons are
supplied by the Seribu Islands. Jakarta's freshwater fish requirement is
met with supplies from West Java.
Hutagalung pointed out that the production of processed fish has drastically increased over the past 3 to 4 years.
He emphasized that the increase in the demand for fish indicated the
growing awareness among the people on the importance of fish
consumption. Fish is a main source of animal protein. Fish contributes
some 58 percent of the total animal protein needs of the people. In
villages, fish even contributed about 70 percent of the required animal
protein.
Hutagalung earlier stated that the fishery sector was important to
maintain food sovereignty in Indonesia, which has a large population
reaching 250 million.
"Fishery is a main pillar for the Indonesian people's nutritional resilience," he added.
***2***
(T.A014/INE)
EDITED BY INE
(H-YH)
(T.A014/A/BESSR/A/Yosep) 29-07 |
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