Crab exports from processings plants in the Indonesian towns of Cirebon and Pemalang have halted as a result of the faltering global economy, according to the Indonesian news agency Antara.
Executives at PT Pan Samudra, one of the few crab processors still operating, say the company has slashed production in half since September, proportional to the decrease in export volume. The company ships only one 15- to 16-metric-ton container of crab a month, down from the usual two containers.
Crab processors in Cirebon and Pemalang export exclusively to the United States, which has made it hard to survive the economic downturn.
Erwin Aksa, the chairman of Indonesian Young Entrepreneur Association, suggests that the region's crab exporters penetrate new markets, especially potential markets in Eastern Europe, China and India. There are obstacles in new market entries, but it's important for the survival of the industry, notes Aksa. Reducing dependence on a single export market would strengthen the crab industry's future.
