President Director of Indonesian Fishery Public Company, Risyanto Suanda, said that Indonesia has a large potential in the fisheries sector, especially when seas cover three-quarters of its area and it has the world's second longest coastline.
“Fishery’s potential in Indonesia is quite large, reaching 65 million tons annually,” he explained at Grha Sabha Pramana UGM, Tuesday (10/23).
Meanwhile, the fish production only reaches 33.4 million tons, consisting of 24 million tons from aquaculture and 9.4 million tons from capture fisheries.
Risyanto noted such great potential in fisheries would not automatically make Indonesia a rich country.
“This potential will make us rich if we can use and sell It at reasonable prices,” explained the alumnus of UGM Fisheries Department.
The fisheries sector, he said, has not made a significant contribution to the Indonesian economy. Its contribution to Gross Domestic Product is only 3 percent, while in 2019 this sector is targeted to increase to 12 percent. One of the reasons is the relatively small role of exports compared to national production, sales, and exports.
“Therefore, all stakeholders in fisheries must work together to optimize potential, capture opportunities, and grow the fish market business at national and international levels.”
In front of thousands of prospective graduates of UGM postgraduate program, he also hoped that UGM alumni would contribute to the community, nation, and country, including in the fisheries sector.
Domestic Trade Director of PT Perusahaan Perdagangan Indonesia, Anton Mart Irianto, conveyed a similar thing. UGM alumni are expected to contribute ideas to the nation’s progress in the current era of global competition.
Anton stated that Indonesia is currently facing various challenges as well as trade opportunities in the global era. Local producers also face considerable competition so a transformation is needed for them to survive and make use of a clearer market.
On the other hand, there are opportunities to increase the capacity of SMEs. He argued that SMEs are important as a market sector capable of surviving a crisis. Moreover, SMEs are a form of people-centered economy. Even so, SMEs in Indonesia lack competitive advantage due to inadequate product innovation, technology ownership, as well as science and technology ownership.
“UGM alumni should consider this issue and think about the solutions,” he concluded.