1
Summary
Market Analysis: Indonesia Blue Swimming Crab
June 2009Historically, Indonesia has been contributing significant portion to global wild capture production of blue swimming crabs (Portunus pelagicus).1 Indonesia’s contribution to global blue swimming crab production ranges from 6% to 16% during period of 1980 to 2007. In 2007, Indonesia contributed to 16% or 28 thousands t of total global blue swimming crab (BSC) landings, placed Indonesia as the third biggest BSC producing country, following China (40%) and Philippines (20%) based on official FAO data (FAO undated).2
According to data from Statistics of Indonesia Capture Fisheries (1990-2006), North Java contributed to the biggest portion of BSC landings in Indonesia, contributing about 28% of total landings, followed by South Sulawesi (21%), East Sumatra (21%), Malacca Strait (14%), South and West Kalimantan (5%), West Sumatra (3%), Bali and Nusa Tenggara (2%), and Maluku and Papua (2%). The map below shows distribution of blue swimming crab fisheries across Indonesia.
Distribution of Blue Swimming Crab Fisheries Across Landing Areas in Indonesia (1990-2006)
Source: Statistics of Indonesia Capture Fisheries, Ministry of Marine and Fisheries Affairs (various years)
Data from Globefish (2007) shows Indonesia was the second biggest prepared and preserved crab exporting country in the world, contributing about 18% or totaled 9,800 t, valued at USD 41.9 million in 2004, following China (37%). Meanwhile, Indonesia just contributed about 2% of global fresh, frozen and chilled crab export in 2004 with 4,400 t crab export, valued at USD 24.7 million. Canada
1There are two main crab species commercially captured in Indonesia, namely Indo-pacific swamp crab or mud crab (Scylla
serrata) accounted to 52% of total crab production in Indonesia and blue swimming crab (Portunus pelagicus) covering the remaining 47% of total crab production (FAO undated).
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2 has been the biggest fresh, frozen and chilled crab exporting country (contributing about 27% of total crab export in the world), followed by China (16%), India (11%), Korea (7%), Russia (6%) and UK (6%).
In terms of export values, crab contributes to almost 8% or valued at USD 180 million of total Indonesian export value from fishery products in 2007. Crab products have been the fourth biggest fishery product that contributes to total Indonesian export value, following shrimp (46%), other fishes (25%) and tuna (14%). Total export volume of crab in 2007 reached 21,510 t (MMAF and JICA 2009b).
United States of America (U.S.) has been the biggest market for crab from Indonesia, contributing to more than 50% of total export volume. In 2007, total crab export from Indonesia to U.S. was slightly above 11 thousands t, valued at USD 170 millions (Foreign Trade Information-NMFS 2007). Other important market for Indonesian crab are Singapore (17%), Malaysia (10%), Taiwan (7%), European Union (6%), China (5%) and Japan (2%) [MMAF 2006].
Crab products were the second biggest U.S. fishery product import from Indonesia, after shrimp. In 2007, crab products contributed about 19% (about USD 170 millions) of total value of U.S. fishery products imported from Indonesia, followed by tuna with about 14% (USD 125 million). The biggest U.S. fishery product import from Indonesia is shrimp, contributing more than 50% (USD 448 millions) of total value of U.S. fishery import from Indonesia (US Imports and Exports of Fishery Products Annual Summary 2007).
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Blue swimming crab (or commercially known as crabmeat swimming) contributed to the biggest portion of U.S. crab import from Indonesia, totaling of 8.9 thousands t and valued at USD 140 millions, contributing to almost 80% of total U.S. crab import from Indonesia. Almost all of blue swimming crabs are imported to U.S. in ATC (Air Tight Container). Indonesia has been dominating U.S. crabmeat swimming import, comprising to 40% total U.S. crabmeat swimming import, followed by China
(20%), Thailand (14%), Vietnam (12%) and Philippines (8%) [Foreign Trade Information-NMFS 2007].
The U.S. custom reported that at least there were about 65 U.S. crab importers that import crab from Indonesia in 2008. Phillips Foods was the biggest U.S., importing almost 23% of Indonesian crab to U.S., followed by John Keeler & Co (12%), Twin Tails Seafood (11%), Lawrence Street Seafood (6%), and Crab Associates (4%).
Data from the field shows that crabmeat yield was equal to 20% of whole crab (raw material) – excluding failed products. This means that to produce about 8,900 t of crabmeat (taking total U.S. import of crabmeat swimming from Indonesia in 2007 as example), at least 44,500 t of whole crab was needed as raw material. Meanwhile, data from the government suggests that landing of blue swimming crab from main coastal area in Indonesia in the same year was 30,421 t (MMAF and JICA 2009a). This suggested that there was data discrepancy of 14,000 t between official data of blue swimming crab landings and actual volume of blue swimming crab needed to supply U.S. market in 2007. The discrepancy might be larger since U.S. market only
3 Top 20 of crab importers to U.S. from Indonesia in 2008
Rank Importer Percent
1 Phillips Foods 22.97
2 John Keeler & Co 12.24
3 Twin Tails Seafood 11.32
4 Lawrence Street Seafood 6.22
5 Order 6.18
17 Commodity Specialist 1.38
18 Aqua Star Import 1.07
19 Everpole Shpg 0.95
20 Meridian Products 0.86
Note:
1. What appears as “Order” indicates that shippers have chosen to not disclose their name to the public. 2. The import figures with the associated importer name are only for waterborne shipments into the U.S. Source: Urner Barry Foreign Trade Data (http://ftd.urnerbarry.com/)
The same source also listed about 38 Indonesian crab exporters to the U.S. in 2008. The biggest crab exporter from Indonesia is Phillips Seafoods Indonesia, contributing to more than 23 percent of total crab export from Indonesia, followed by Tonga Tiur Putra (19%), Windika Utama (7%), Kelola Mina Laut (6%), and Mina Global Mandiri (4%).
Top 20 crab exporters from Indonesia to U.S. in 2008
Rank Exporter Percent
1 Phillips Seafoods Indonesia 23.40
2 Tonga Tiur Putra 19.43
8 Toba Surimi Industries 3.61
9 Nuansa Cipta Magello 3.08
4
18 CV Aqua Marine Indonesia 0.82
19 Global Pacific Seafood Ind 0.66
20 Trans Seafood Ind 0.64
Note:
1. What appears as “Order” indicates that shippers have chosen to not disclose their name to the public. 2. The export figures with the associated exporter name are only for waterborne shipments into the U.S. Source: Urner Barry Foreign Trade Data (http://ftd.urnerbarry.com/)
References:
FAO. Undated. Fishstat Plus. Total Fishery Production 1950-2007.
Foreign Trade Information (http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov)
Globefish. 2007. Commodity Update – Crab. Extract from GLOBEFISH Databank Prices - Exports - Imports - Catches – Consumption. February 2007.
MMAF (Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries) and JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency). 2009a. Indonesian Fisheries Statistix Index 2009.
MMAF (Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries) and JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency). 2009b. Indonesian Fisheries Book 2009.
MMAF (Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries. Various Years. Statistics of Indonesia Capture Fisheries.
MMAF (Ministry of Marine Affaris and Fisheries. 2006. Export Statistics of Fishery Products 2005.
Urner Barry Publications and U.S. Department of Commerce and Census Bureau
(http://ftd.urnerbarry.com/)
US Imports and Exports of Fishery Products Annual Summary (2007)
