Indonesia aims to lift fishers' trade terms and boost their earnings by 2027

During the 42nd National Congress of the Syarikat Islam Arbitration Council in Surabaya, the marine minister emphasized the urgency of bolstering assistance for Indonesia's fishers, whose terms of trade are currently recorded at 103. This low figure pushes many fishermen into the bottom income decile, requiring basic aid such as rice and cash. Weak bargaining power and a lack of cold-storage facilities compel them to sell catches at reduced prices before spoilage.

The minister cited an estimate that illegal fishing drains roughly Rp250 trillion (about US$13.8 billion) each year. To address these challenges, the government will develop fish auction sites, ice plants, cold storage, fueling stations and offer micro-loans at an eight-percent rate. President Prabowo Subianto has set a goal to raise the trade term to 120 by 2027, aiming for higher family incomes and business growth for fishers.