As a maritime and archipelago country, Indonesia has many natural resources. Agriculture and fisheries sector will be more important to explore and provide new business opportunity. This information has contained in workshop Component Technology of Refrigerated Products Development Regarding to Maintain Fisheries and Horticulture Product’s Quality, Meulaboh, Aceh, last week.
According to Aceh Marine and Fisheries Services, catching fish production at ocean fishing port Lampulo has achieved 14,000 tons last year. There are 10 (ten) kinds of catching fish, in bahasa: Cakalang, Tongkol Komo, Tongkol Krai, Tuna Sirip Kuning (yellow fin tuna), Kambing-Kambing, Layang, Lisong, Selar, Siro and Sungkir. All fish have had buyers to sell to traditional markets and distribute to North Sumatera and some yellow fin tuna has exported. Lampulo also has had one integrated cold storage. But in Meulaboh fishing port, still need to get new investors to develop cold chain system. Fisheries product losses achieve 35% when distributed to traditional markets and to North Sumatera with limited ice in maintaining its temperature. Aceh has coastline length 2,666 km.
Aceh Besar Horticulture Services also said that Aceh Besar have a potential horticulture area especially in red-onion (shallots) commodity in Saree area. With updating technology, red onion production has increased. Average harvest can achieved 18 ton per hectar. Bener Meriah and Central Aceh District are also as a good central horticulture area that can produce vegetables 100-200 ton per day and distribute to Medan and North Sumatera since erruption of Sinabung Mountain.
Agriculture Senior High School in Aceh now is one of favorite school regarding to make ready to use of manpower. That is why the Directorate of Agricultural Machinery & Machinery, Ministry of Industry held this workshop in Meulaboh. We have an opportunity to make a good manpower and guide them to have a manpower certificate of competency. We also have an opportunity to develop the agricultural machinery here based on the needs and manpower skill, said the speaker from the Directorate. Local content from this machine will be as one of tax allowance regarding to increase the ability of local industries. Indonesia Cold Chain Assiciation (ARPI) also talked about local industry’s capabilities, such as to produce a continues line of sandwich panel, condensing unit and evaporator unit, good design of processing line of food industry and cold chain infrastructure.
Meulaboh and other cities in Aceh can submit to the Ministry of Maritime & Fisheries regarding to provide cold storage, ice storage and reefer truck at the auction areas.
