Government maps out strategy to grow seaweed sector

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture (DA) plans to craft the country’s seaweed roadmap following huge export demand from one of the local aquaculture commodities.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) targets to increase seaweed production by at least five percent annually from 2017-2022.

“We want to bring back the country as the world’s leading producer of seaweeds such as Euchema and Kappaphycus,” National Seaweed coordinator Irma Ortiz said.

Data showed that Indonesia has overtaken the Philippines as the top producer of seaweeds globally since 2008.

Ortiz said the agency faces challenges on limited access to credit and market, limited source of alternative-income from seaweeds dependent mostly to selling of raw dried seaweed, research and developments on seaweed applications, promotions of available seaweed products, and lack of sustainable and climate-proof agri-fishery facility in the country.

BFAR plans to implement three key programs to address the challenges including trainings for farmers and production of climate-resilient species, training for farmers to become entrepreneurs and promotion of community-based product champions.

Meanwhile, Ireland-based company Ocean Harvest Technology Ltd. (OHT) plans to develop and commercialize ulva or dry seaweeds into animal feeds.

Locally, ulva can be found in many areas of Pangasinan, La Union and Ilocos Norte.

If approved, the company will purchase about 3,000 metric tons (MT) of dried seaweed in the country which will be processed in Vietnam. The by-products are already being marketed in some parts of US and Canada.

Last year, the country’s seaweed production slid 10.3 percent to 1.4 million MT due to the unavailability of planting materials of Cottonii variety, occurrence of disease, decreasing price from traders and high cost of planting materials.

Apart from its economic potential, seaweed is one of the natural and effective carbon sequesters that can be found in the coastal area and some of its species can grow alongside mangroves.

Using seaweeds for human production and consumption also helps the marine ecosystem as it reduces the organisms that are infesting other lives in the sea.

Seaweeds are also used as a gelling agent, stabilizer and thickener and for bio-medical purposes.