Seaweed Exports Grow 90 Percent

Good news comes from the marine export sector. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) reported that seaweed exports in the first semester of 2022 amounted to US$275 million. This figure grew 90.13 percent on an annual basis with a volume of 112,910 tons.

This commodity is also one of the five main export commodities that account for 8.99 percent of the total export value.

Economist of the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) Ahmad Heri Firdaus said the increase in exports commodities was supported by the large number of derivative products produced, which attracted the interest of many countries to cultivate seaweed.

He added that it is natural that demand for it continues to rise because various industries such as food and cosmetics require raw materials from these main export commodities.

“The seaweed product is rich in a variety of derivative products, such as palm oil, not only for food but also for cosmetic and pharmaceutical raw materials. Many countries are interested in developing seaweed to become a derivative product,” he explained, Thursday (28/7/2022).

Overall, KKP data noted that the main export destination country for fishery products was the United States with an export value of US$1.3 billion, followed by China at US$485 million.

Director General of Aquaculture, TB Haeru Rahayu, said that Indonesia was able to produce 4.46 million tons of seaweed during the first semester of 2022. Although it is still far from the target, which is 11.85 million tons, he is optimistic that production will increase by the end of the year.

“Fish reached 8.17 tons and then 4.46 tons, we are still quite optimistic and there is still enough time to increase production,” he said at the KKP press conference, Thursday (28/7/2022).

KKP continues to optimize the productivity of national seaweed by using tissue culture technology. He also said that he had provided 37 units of seaweed nursery to support productivity.

As previously reported, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) affirmed its commitment to blue economy-based development. This commitment is demonstrated through the use of seaweed as a driver of national and global development that is environmentally friendly and sustainable.

“Seaweed is one of the most abundant biological resources in Indonesian waters. The area of ​​seaweed habitat is estimated to reach 1.2 million hectares of the largest in the world,” said Director General of Strengthening the Competitiveness of Marine and Fishery Products (PDSPKP), Artati Widiarti in Jakarta, Thursday (24/3/2022).

Furthermore, the government has taken serious steps in developing the national seaweed industry through Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 33 of 2019 concerning the 2018-2021 National Seaweed Industry Development Road Map.

The KKP has taken steps to strengthen the national seaweed industry and implemented several programs, such as research on the development of new types (species and/or varieties), cultivation development, and technological innovation for processing semi-finished products and final products, as well as strengthening the seaweed product market. national and global. Artati ensured that his staff will also continue to refine seaweed bioplastics that are more environmentally friendly.