Exports Of Crabs That Are Continuously Being Pushed

KKP boosts small crab exports. (Photo: KKP)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is determined to boost the export of small crabs by continuing to encourage improvements in the quality of these commodities as one of Indonesia's leading exports.

"Crab is one of Indonesia's leading export commodities in 2019. Referring to temporary data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the export value of crab, including crab, is US $ 393 million, with a volume of 25.9 thousand tons," said the Director General of Power Strengthening. Competitiveness of Marine and Fishery Products, Agus Suherman, in a press release in Jakarta, Tuesday, January 21.

For that, he said, in 2020 his party will encourage various regions to continue exporting crabs, one of which is Central Java. Agus said that Central Java Province is one of the small crab-producing areas.

As of January 21, 2020, as many as 161 tons of crab worth IDR 30.37 billion were exported from Demak and Rembang Regencies to the United States and Hong Kong. Agus added that the crab product exports came from five crab fish processing units (UPI) in Demak and Rembang Regencies.

"One of the main suppliers is Betahwalang Village, Demak Regency, which is often known as the 'Rajungan City'," he explained.

Agus reminded that the small crab market share is very wide, such as the United States, China, Malaysia, Japan, Singapore, France and the United Kingdom. Agus explained that currently the United States is still the largest market for crab export, which is dominated by processed products in airtight or canned packaging.

However, he continued, it is possible that demand will continue to increase from other countries such as China, which likes crab products in living, fresh or cold conditions.

Meanwhile, according to him, Japan buys a lot of crab products that are processed or preserved not in airtight packaging.

"The market potential for crab crab is very wide, therefore we want to continue to increase domestic crab commodity products," he said.

Agus hopes that the crab commodity will be able to make a major contribution to the 2020 fishery product export target of 6.47 billion US dollars.