The Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is actively promoting the export of fishery products from border regions to neighboring countries. By utilizing the Certificate of Quality and Safety for Fishery Products (SMKHP), the ministry aims to streamline trade from Nusa Tenggara Timur to Timor Leste and from West Kalimantan to Malaysia.
Ishartini, Acting Head of the KKP Quality Control and Supervision Agency, stated that the ministry has coordinated with authorities in neighboring countries to ensure that the SMKHP is recognized as a valid document for quality assurance. This certification confirms that products have undergone rigorous inspections from production to distribution, adhering to global sanitation and hygiene standards.
The implementation of these certificates has reportedly simplified inspection processes at State Border Crossings (PLBN). In Nusa Tenggara Timur, the agency has issued 676 certificates to local businesses. Export data from the region to Timor Leste reached 18 billion rupiah in 2025, with officials expecting further growth this year. Key export commodities include various species such as anchovies, red snapper, grouper, and parrotfish.
In the border region of Entikong, West Kalimantan, 219 certificates were issued between January and August 2026. During this period, fishery exports to Malaysia totaled 580 tons, valued at 20 billion rupiah.
According to the KKP, the use of SMKHP helps maintain market access for local fishery processing units. These operations currently support more than 170 local jobs in areas adjacent to the border crossings with Timor Leste and Sarawak, Malaysia.
Article source: koran-jakarta.com | Image credit: koran-jakarta.com