Padang (ANTARA) - Exports of tuna and lobster from the Padang city, W Sumatra, have been stalled during the Corona Virus Disease pandemic (COVID-19) occurred because the destination country temporarily stopped the demand.
"The COVID-19 pandemic caused fish exports from Padang to stagnate, as a result the price of tuna dropped to only Rp27 thousand per kilogram compared to the export price of Rp54,000 per kilogram," said Head of the Padang Marine Fisheries Service, Guswardi on Friday.
According to him at the moment fishermen who usually catch tuna for export needs prefer to provide local supplies despite falling prices.
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"Exports have been stalled since the beginning of the year, the destination countries are usually Japan, China and the United States," he said.
Not only tuna commodity, lobster shipments also stopped to abroad.
He said there were about five large groups of fishermen engaged in tuna exports including PT Dempo.
Usually shipping from the Minangkabau International Airport after the fish is frozen to Jakarta to be sent to the destination country, he said.
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Meanwhile for freshwater aquaculture in Padang is quite good although demand is also down because buyers are quiet.
Guswardi said there were 1,200 people who cultivated freshwater fish.
Meanwhile based on data compiled from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of W Sumatra processed meat and fish exports decreased by 0.95 percent in January-March 2020 compared to the same period in 2019.
In January-March 2019 the processed meat and fish exports reached 0.05 million US dollars.
Transleted by: Mutiara Ramadhani
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Tuna and lobster exports from Padang stalled during COVID-19 pandemic
Officers of Padang Fish Quarantine and Inspection Agency (BKIPM) inspect tuna that has just been unloaded from a ship, at the Samudra Bungus Fishery Port, Padang, W Sumatra (Antara / Iggoy El Fitra)
