RI'S ORNAMENTAL FISH EXPORTS CONTINUE TO FALL: OFFICIAL

Jakarta, Sept 25 (ANTARA) - Indonesia's ornamental fish exports have declined since the European Union (EU) imposed a ban on national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia to fly to the continent in July last year, an official said.
"Indeed, our ornamental fish exports have dropped drastically since Garuda Indonesia was banned from flying to Europe. That is why we are trying to find direct flights to other destinations for our ornamental fish exports," Director General of Fishery Product Marketing and Processing at the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry Martani Huseini said here on Thursday.
He said there is no other way but to export ornamental fish via Singapore. If the ornamental fish has been in the island state for a quite long time, it will be considered Singapore's product for further export to other countries.
"That is the reason why 90 percent of Singapore's ornamental fish exports came from Indonesia. Only after the ornamental fish is in Singapore for two weeks, it is considered to belong to the city state," he said.
Currently, Garuda Indonesia has direct flights to Hong Kong, Dubai and Japan, while the main ornamental fish importers are the United States, Japan and Germany, he said.
He said cooperation with the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) is one of the ways to augment ornamental fish species which will eventually increase the country's ornamental fish exports.
Meanwhile, Saut P Hutagalung, the ministry's director of foreign trade, said the country's ornamental fish exports declined every year.
In 2005, Indonesia's ornamental fish exports stood at US$17.5 million. The figure fell to US$13.8 million in 2006 and further to US$9.3 million in 2007, he said.
"Therefore, we are exploring the possibility of switching our export destinations to the Middle East to increase oranmental fish exports," he said.