Indonesia's Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises, Teten Masduki, emphasized the enormous potential of the marine sector in the country. He highlighted the need for optimal utilization and management of this sector to become a domestic economic advantage. Teten Masduki cited examples of countries like Norway, which has successfully turned salmon farming into a significant source of income, and expressed that Indonesia, with its diverse marine resources including tuna, shrimp, grouper, and other commodities, has even greater potential. By effectively managing these resources, Indonesia can establish its marine economy as a domestic advantage.
Teten Masduki further pointed out the importance of focusing on domestic strengths, particularly in terms of raw materials. He highlighted how Indonesia's previous advantage in industries such as footwear, textiles, garments, and electronics has declined due to a heavy reliance on cheap labor and imports of materials and technology. Teten Masduki urged a shift towards identifying and capitalizing on Indonesia's unique domestic advantages, citing New Zealand's success in focusing on three commodities—meat, milk, and kiwi fruit. In the marine sector, he highlighted the potential of seaweed, where demand is almost unlimited, yet Indonesia currently exports primarily raw materials instead of value-added products.
