The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) participated in the Seafood Expo North America (SENA) which took place in Boston, United States March 12-14, 2023. SENA is the largest seafood exhibition in the Americas region and was attended by more than 50 countries with visitor profiles including importers, processors , wholesaler, distributor, catering, food service, grocery, manufacturing and other professionals in the seafood industry.
"Indonesia's participation in this exhibition is a concrete step by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries in strengthening the export market and branding of fishery products," said Acting Director General of Competitiveness of Marine and Fishery Products (PDSPKP), Ishartini in a written statement, Tuesday (14/3/2023). Not only attending exhibitions, Ishartini ensured that while in Boston, KKP representatives would hold a number of meetings with the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Fisheries Institute (NFI), and the International Pole and Line Foundation (IPNLF).
While Indonesia's representative at SENA 2023, Berny A Subki, Director of Logistics for the Directorate General of PDSPKP, revealed that there was an Indonesian Snapper-Grouper Supply Chain Roundtable meeting in collaboration with the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP). This activity brings together buyers and suppliers of snapper and grouper products, and promotes sustainable Indonesian snapper and grouper products in the global market.
Furthermore, in a meeting with Alexa Cole, Director of the NOAA Fisheries Office of International Affairs and Seafood Inspection, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries consulted regarding the provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) imposed by the US. In general, these rules contain provisions to reduce marine mammals that are caught injured or dead (bycatch) as a result of commercial fishing processes that are exported to the United States.
"The 2023 SENA event can be a momentum to increase exports of fishery products to the global market and especially to the US, which in 2022 the US market experienced a slight slowdown as a result of the weakening global economy, but in 2023 it is expected to improve again. Therefore, with participation The Indonesian Pavilion at SENA 2023 is expected to seize this market opportunity by showing that Indonesian products are not inferior to other countries in terms of product quality and safety, as well as other market requirements," said Berny.
For information, KKP has facilitated the Indonesian Pavilion with a customized design booth covering an area of 1,600 sqf. In order to attract visitors, the Indonesian booth contained promotional materials such as participant profile books, brochures, promotional videos, goody bags, and cooking demonstrations.
In this activity, KKP brought in 14 exporters who would exhibit and sell Indonesia's main fishery products, both from cultivation and capture, such as frozen peeled shrimp, canned crab meat/crab, frozen tilapia fillets, tuna loin (frozen/fresh), canned tuna. , and others.
The 14 exporters are: PT. Wirontono Baru (frozen shrimp), PT. Fresh On Time Seafood (frozen marine products, crab meat, canned crab meat), PT. Tropical Borneo Strim (frozen tilapia), PT. Samudra Mandiri Sentosa (canned tuna, pre-cooked tuna and skipjack), CV. Pacific Harvest (canned fish), PT. Sari Tuna Makmur (frozen and fresh tuna), PT. Intimas Surya (frozen tuna, swordfish, octopus, squid). PT. Inti Lautan Fajar Abadi (frozen demersal and pelagic), PT. Indo Mina Lestari (frozen demersal and pelagic), PT. Dharma Samudera Fishing Industries, Tbk (frozen seafood), PT. Madah Indonesia Dagang Abadi (frozen seafood), PT. Kembang Alam Khatulistiwa (frozen and fresh seafood), PT. Benua Agri Sejahtera (fresh and frozen tuna), and PT. Bahari Biru Nusantara (frozen demersal and pelagic, cephalopods, shrimp, shellfish).
"There is also 1 business actor that participates independently, namely PT. Toba Surimi Industries with pasteurized crabmeat, canned sterilized seafood and frozen seafood products," concluded Berny.
Previously, the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono asked his staff to continue providing education related to production to processing so that they met global standards. That way, Indonesia's fishery exports to global markets, especially the US, Japan, China and Europe will continue to increase.
