Significant Growth Recorded In Ornamental Fish Exports

Jakarta, Nov 6 (Antara) - The exports of ornamental fish from Indonesia are growing significantly, according to the chief of the Research and Development Agency, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Achmad Poernomo. "Exports of ornamental fish since the past year have grown significantly, and thus, it is reasonable for the cultivators of national fisheries to start exploring the potential of this commodity," Achmad noted in a written statement on Thursday. He explained that during the period between 1996 and 2013, the exports of ornamental fish grew by 62.46 percent per year due to the high demand for this commodity. According to him, the ornamental fish commodity is now facing stiff competition in the European and Middle Eastern markets. "Middle East, for instance, is able to absorb 40 percent of the ornamental fish exported by Indonesia, while Europe was able to absorb 10 to 20 percent, and the rest was exported to the United States, Asian, and Australian markets," Achmad noted He remarked that several species of ornamental fish have penetrated the foreign markets, including those found in coral reefs such as clown fish and butterfly fish. "Now, the price of ornamental fish exported from Indonesia in foreign markets ranges between US$0.70 and US$100 per head, depending on the species," he added.