Seaweed farmers in the process of drying their seaweed in Nunukan, North Kalimantan, Indonesia. (Photo: ANTARA)
Jakarta (VNA) - Indonesia’s Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry is preparingfour seaweed industrialisation zones to capitalise on the potential of seaweedcommodities, an official has said.
Speaking at the"Business Investment Opportunities in Seaweed" talk show, NonoHartanto, Ministry's Director of Seedlings, Nono Hartanto said that theministry plans to turn these areas into clusters of seaweed industries, addingthat they will become protected areas and only for the development of seaweedcultivation.
According to Hartanto, the four areas to be developed as seaweed industrialisationare Nunukan in North Kalimantan province, Wakatobi in Southeast Sulawesi, EastSumba and Rote in East Nusa Tenggara province and Tual in Maluku province.
Hartantostressed that Indonesia has potential and opportunities for seaweed businessdevelopment in Indonesia as it is the second-largest seaweed producer in theworld after China, with production reaching nine million tonnes in 2021.
Only about 102 hectares, or 0.8%, had beenutilised of the 12.3 million hectares of identified seaweed area. It means there are still opportunities to developseaweed cultivation, he said.
According toHartanto, the technology utilised for seaweed cultivation was quite simple,adding that seaweed can be harvested in just about 35-40 days.
Seaweed cultivation is able to create jobs and is deemed strategic, as it canimprove the welfare of coastal communities./.
