PT Blue Ocean Foods Indonesia (BOFI), a fish canning company located in Muncar District, Banyuwangi, officially dispatched an export shipment of sardines to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, Africa. The total export value reached an impressive USD 210,000, equivalent to approximately IDR 3.6 billion.
A total of four containers filled with sardine products were shipped directly from PT BOFI’s bonded zone, witnessed by various stakeholders including:
“Today’s export value is around USD 210,000 or IDR 3.6 billion, consisting of sardine products,” said Anang Kurniawan, representing PT BOFI’s owner, Ahmad Musyafak.
Anang also noted that PT BOFI currently exports 20–25 containers per month on a regular basis, and plans to increase production capacity in the near future.
“At present, we process only 25 tons of raw fish material per day. By June, our target is to reach 100 tons per day,” he emphasized.
PT BOFI officially obtained bonded zone status in January 2025. This designation provides various fiscal incentives, such as VAT suspension and import duty exemptions, which Anang said have significantly reduced production costs.
“Alhamdulillah, the bonded zone status—under the guidance of Mr. Agus Sudarmadi—has greatly helped us achieve cost efficiency,” he added.
Agus Sudarmadi explained that bonded zones enable companies to produce export goods more competitively due to the facilities and regulatory flexibilities provided.
“This is a bonded zone. With the facilities granted, it drives trade. Import duties are waived, and certain restrictions are lifted because the zone is outside the customs territory. These goods are processed here solely for re-export, essentially like relocating a factory from abroad,” Agus explained.
He also expressed hope that the economic impact of bonded zones like PT BOFI would expand, from job creation to the emergence of new tax potentials from downstream economic activities.
“The hope is that once this grows, employment will expand, and other economic impacts will follow. That’s where new tax potentials will arise,” he concluded.
PT BOFI is a sardine and tuna canning factory located at Jl. Sampangan No. 1, Kedungrejo Village, Muncar District, Banyuwangi. It is one of many fish processing plants in Banyuwangi Regency operating under bonded zone status.
