The Establishment Of The National Quarantine Agency At The KKP, Lucky Or Buntung?

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Not yet recovered from being hit by the tidal wave of COVID-19, the fate of fishermen and the national fishery industry is threatened with even more confusion. This concern has risen as the government plans to establish a National Quarantine Agency as mandated by Law no. 21 of 2019 concerning Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine (KHIT).

One of them is related to the issue of the plan to transfer the implementation of quality control and safety of fishery products from the Fish Quarantine, Quality Control and Safety of Fishery Products (BKIPM) to another Directorate at the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP).

However, Kris Budiharjo, Chairman of the Indonesian Fisheries and Business Actors Federation (Ferpukpi), dismissed the anxiety suspected to be plaguing a number of national fisheries industry players during an afternoon discussion discussing the opportunities and problems of the fishery industry in the Rawamangun area, East Jakarta, Tuesday, March 31.

"The formation of the KHIT requires a legal umbrella in the form of a Government Regulation (PP) related to the Quarantine Agency, which currently doesn't exist," Kris said in a written statement received, Thursday, April 1.

In addition, he continued, based on existing experience, the formation of a new agency would take at least two years to be effective. Not to mention related to the formation of a technical implementation unit (UPT) which is winding and requires cross-sectoral coordination of ministries.

Therefore, Kris also appealed to the government not to rush during the transitional period, which could lead to cultural differences and work unity between the directorates and the agency, thereby increasing business unrest.

"Maintain BKIPM (which has competent human resources and infrastructure in 34 provinces) by slowly separating the quarantine function. Or even incorporating PDS into BIPM so that it becomes the Inspectorate Body for Quality Improvement and Competitiveness while waiting for the formation of KHIT," Kris explained.

The discourse of merging BKIPM and PDS is a necessity in the midst of efforts to boost national fishery commodity exports. Especially if it refers to world fisheries regulations which only recognize Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certificates related to export and import of commodities.

HACCP is a quality assurance system that is based on awareness or appreciation that hazards can arise at various points or certain production stages, but controls can be carried out to control these hazards.

In Indonesia, the industry must first obtain a Processing Feasibility Certification (SKP), before obtaining HACCP. As long as the SKP has not been completed, companies cannot export fishery products to foreign markets. Although currently the process of making fisheries SKP is online, it still takes a long time.

Currently, the issuance of SKP is under the authority of the Director General of PDSPKP. Meanwhile, the HACCP was issued by BKIPM. For Kris, the integration of making SKP and HACCP at BKIPM is considered to be cheaper and does not need to go to village. Moreover, data on international competitiveness is available at BKIPM.

Although he dismissed the concerns of fishery industry players, Kris also reminded the government if the system movement during the process of establishing a KHIT or a new agency would potentially undermine the Fishery Product Quality and Safety Assurance System (SJMKHP) which BKIPM painstakingly built and has been recognized and trusted by partner countries (EU, China, Norway, South Korea, Vietnam, Russia and Canada) through annual audits.

Now, ahead of the DPR-RI Commission IV Hearing Meeting (RDP) with the KKP on Wednesday 1 April, fishermen and fisheries industry players are pinning their hopes that this once their aspirations will be heard by members of the council.