In a recent meeting held in Bali, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono emphasized the importance of collaboration between fishery service offices and universities to conduct research on cost-effective aquaculture feed. Trenggono highlighted the inefficiency of current practices, noting that all feed used is imported.
Key commodities for the aquaculture sector, including shrimp, seaweed, lobster, crab, and Nile tilapia, were identified by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. Trenggono pointed out that the global seafood market was valued at US$310.75 billion in 2021, with projections indicating a surge to US$730.28 billion by 2030.
Drawing attention to a Chinese company dominating the shrimp market with an annual production of 220,000 tons, Trenggono stressed the importance of collaborative efforts with research institutions for feed and broodstock development, reaching production levels in the millions.
To enhance productivity, the ministry initiated a pilot project for an area-based integrated shrimp pond in Kebumen, Central Java, boasting an annual productivity of 80 tons per hectare across 60 hectares.
Indonesia, with the potential to cultivate 17.91 million hectares, utilizes only around 6 percent of this capacity on average, including 2.96 million hectares of brackish water, 2.83 million hectares of fresh water, and 12.12 million hectares of seawater.
Trenggono urged a focus on global market potential and the implementation of the blue economy, emphasizing the need for ecological and economic balance in pursuing growth.