(seafood.com) Indonesia`s exports of canned tuna fish rose 13 percent year-on-year to US$160.4 million in the first half of the year.
"The crisis besetting the United States and Europe had no significant effect on tuna exports," Saud Hutagalung, the director general of fishery product marketing, said.
Exports rose 41 percent to the United States and 18.2 percent to Japan , Saud said on Saturday .
Demand is high for canned fishes from Indonesia, unlike fresh tuna or shrimp for which demand is on the decline, he said.
He said Indonesia is big producer of tuna fish to feed fish canneries mainly in North Sulawesi and East Java.
He said Indonesia needs to expand export destinations such as to Middle East , Eastern Europe , Africa and Australia .
Russia, Africa and Australia are potential markets for canned fishes especially canned tuna, he said.
He said other ASEAN countries such as Thailand are the main rivals of Indonesia in the world market of canned fishes