23 October 2007
Indonesia Bali earned a total of US$41 million from tuna exports from January to August 2007, a sharp increase from the US$24.7 million it gained during the same period last year.
The value of fresh and frozen tuna exports during the eight- month period in 2007 had surged by 66 percent, Ni Wayan Kusumawathi of the Bali provincial trade and industry office said on Friday.
From January to August 2007, Bali exported a total of 11,952 tons of fresh and frozen tuna, up by 85 percent from 6,462 tons in the same period of last year, she said.
The average price of exported tuna from Bali had actually dropped from US$3.8 per kg to US$3.5 per kg, she said.
Bali has 700 long-line fishing boats at Benoa harbor, which is located around 15 km south of Denpasar, Bali’s provincial capital.
Bali exported tuna among other things to Japan, the United States, China and Taiwan.
Apart from tuna, Bali also exports various kinds of aquatic products, such as ornamental fish, crabs, milkfish, lobster and shark’s fins.
She said that aquatic product businessmen in Bali were facing several problems especially due to the increased fuel prices and unfavorable government policies.
