Indonesia, one of the countries with abundant marine wealth, has long been among the top 10 exporters of octopus in the world. Every year, around 19,000 tons of Indonesian octopus are exported to various countries such as Italy, the United States, Japan, and China.
Along with squid and cuttlefish, octopus competes closely with other mainstay commodities such as skipjack tuna and crab to increase Indonesia’s export coffers. Its economic value is also no joke, reaching an average of 90 million USD per year, making it one of the most valuable fishery commodities.
However, even though octopus is a prima donna export, data from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) in 2023 shows fluctuations in the volume and value of Indonesian octopus exports between 2018 and April 2023. In 2018, octopus exports were recorded at 26.8 million kg with a value of USD 133.8 million.
This figure decreased in 2019 to 21.4 million kg with an export value of USD 96.2 million. In 2020, although the volume slightly decreased again to 18.4 million kg, the export value was still recorded at USD 79.2 million.
However, 2021 showed a recovery with the volume increasing to 21.6 million kg and the export value reaching USD 109.3 million. In 2022, although the volume decreased slightly to 21 million kg, the export value actually increased significantly to reach USD 127.7 million.
