Bali's Aquatic Exports Up 10 Pct

Denpasar, Bali, Oct 27 (Antara) - Bali`s aquatic exports in the first seven months of this year rose 10.06 percent to US$64.78 million from US$58.86 million in the same period last year, a spokesman said. "The fisheries sector contributed 22.42 percent of the overall exports which reached US$288.93 million," the head of the Bali provincial government`s public relations bureau, I Ketut Teneng said here on Sunday. Ketut said fresh and frozen tuna gave the greatest contribution to foreign exchange earnings among eight types of aquatic products. He said the tuna exports rose 3.33 percent by volume to 7,774.72 tons but declined 2.62 percent by value to US$42.86 million compared to the same period last year. The grouper contributed US$7.07 million, decorative fish US$1.86 million, crab US$73,284, and lobster US$843,074. Japan remained the biggest market for Bali`s aquatic products, buying 37.23 percent of the overall aquatic exports in the January-July 2013 period, he said. This was followed by the United States 24.62 percent, Australia 5.74 percent, Hong Kong 4.85 percent, Spain 1.11 percent, France 1.03 percent, Singapore 0.87 percent, the United Kingdom 0.75 percent, Malaysia 0.69 percent and Germany 0.43 percent. The remaining 22.68 percent went to other countries, he said. Aquatic exports are among the province`s main foreign exchange earners, he said.