Indonesian Ornamental Fish Sell Thousands of Tons in the International Market

Indonesia's ornamental fish export volume remains fluctuating. Over the past five years, Indonesia exported the largest volume of this commodity in 2018. At that time, 1,630.4 tons were traded in the international market. As a result, Indonesia earned US$32.3 million or Rp455.4 billion at an exchange rate of Rp14,100/USD.

By early August 2020, Indonesia's ornamental fish export volume had only reached 540.8 tons. The export value reached only US$13.8 million or Rp194.6 billion. This decrease occurred due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Several types of Indonesian ornamental fish are consistently popular in the international market, such as red arowana and botia. Red arowana are usually shipped to China and Taiwan. Meanwhile, botia has its own market in the United States.

According to a report from the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Indonesia has at least 3,567 types of saltwater fish and 1,226 types of freshwater fish, thus possessing significant potential for ornamental fish cultivation. These fish are not only popular in the international market but also highly sought after domestically.