MINISTRY TO INCREASE SHRIMP PRODUCTION BY 10.42 PCT

Padang, W Java, Nov 29 (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DKP) has set itself a target for raising the country's shrimp production by 10.42 percent per annum, a DKP official said.

"The target is achievable in 2009 owing to the fact that the Public Works Ministry has improved the irrigation system and shrimp pond infrastructure facilities," Head of the Data Base, Statistics and Information Center of DKP, Soen'an H Poernomo said in a press statement here on Sunday.

Soen'an said the irrigation and pond facility improvements were made using stimulus fund worth Rp430 billion. The improvements covered 53,000 hectares of shrimp ponds in 56 districts of the 16 provinces.

He said that in an effort to prevent the spread of the disease, the government was building a fish and environment disease research center in Serang regency, Banten province.

"The project is scheduled to be completed in January 2010," he said.

In the the 2010 - 2014 period production may increase by 353 percent from 5.26 million tons to 16.89 million tons.