Indonesia's seafood and marine products once again took the spotlight at an international exhibition. Participating in The Busan International Seafood & Fisheries Expo (BISFE 2023) at BEXCO, Busan, South Korea, from November 1 to 3, 2023, these Indonesian flagship products showcased a transaction potential of USD 2.565 million or approximately IDR 38.47 billion. "The participation in the BISFE 2023 Exhibition is an effort to introduce a variety of Indonesia's superior and safe seafood products. This exhibition serves as a bridge for business partnerships in the fisheries sector between Indonesian fisheries businesses and potential buyers in South Korea and other countries. It also acts as a means to expand the network of Indonesian fisheries entrepreneurs," expressed Merry Maryati, the Director of Primary Product Export Development, on a separate occasion. BISFE 2023 is a trade exhibition focusing on fish and processed fish products, fish processing technology, and product packaging. The exhibition featured 430 companies from 22 countries and attracted 12,114 visitors, including exhibition attendees, distributors, wholesale and retail seafood sellers.
The Indonesian pavilion at the exhibition consisted of nine companies, representing selected companies from various provinces, showcasing a diverse range of superior fish products and processed fish. Beyond product displays, participants engaged in business matching sessions with potential buyers, primarily from South Korea. "The Indonesian pavilion occupied a strategic area and showcased popular products demanded by the South Korean market, such as octopus, squid, shrimp, tuna, snapper, crab, as well as various processed fish and marine products," explained Merry. In 2022, Indonesia's seafood exports to the South Korean market reached USD 96.4 million. These exports included items like filleted fish, frozen fish, mollusks, octopus, shrimp, and seaweed. Over the last five years (2018–2022), Indonesia's seafood export trend to South Korea has grown by 8.4%. Key exporters of seafood products to South Korea include Russia, China, Vietnam, Norway, the United States, Japan, Canada, Peru, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. South Korea primarily imports seafood products such as shrimp, crab, octopus, frozen fish, and salmon.
