Jakarta (VNA) – The Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries is ready to facilitate fish processing units (UPIs) seeking to secure 0% export tariffs for tuna, cakalang (skipjack), and tongkol (mackerel tuna) to Japan.
Machmud, Acting Director General for Strengthening the Competitiveness of Marine and Fishery Products at the ministry, said this policy is part of the amended Indonesia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (IJEPA).
According to the official, before this amendment, exports of canned tuna and skipjack, as well as other non-canned processed products from Indonesia to Japan, were subject to a 9.6% tariff.
In the Japanese market, for canned and processed tuna products, Indonesia is currently ranked as the third-largest exporter, with a value of 30.28 million USD. Furthermore, Indonesia's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) stands at 13.82%, outperforming Thailand and the Philippines, whose CAGR stood at 12.12% and 6.31%, respectively.
With 0% tariffs, tuna and skipjack exports of Indonesia can be more competitive, he said, expressing his optimism that the country can become number one in Japan.
Machmud affirmed that the ministry is currently preparing a circular on the ratification of the IJEPA, which will outline the application procedures for obtaining a zero-percent-tariff registration number for processed tuna and skipjack products (other than canned) under Japan's Harmonized System (HS) codes 1604.14.091 and 1604.14.099.
Fish processing units exporting products under the HS codes specified in the IJEPA protocol must be registered with the ministry, he said.
The protocol to amend the IJEPA was signed on August 8, 2024, by the Indonesian Minister of Trade and the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs. Tuna and skipjack are Indonesia's second-largest export, with a market share reaching 17%./.
