Makassar, S Sulawesi (ANTARA Sulsel) - Indonesia, the world`s largest seaweed producer, has set a 10 million ton target for wet seaweed production this year, which is equal to one million tons of dry seaweed.
The rise in seaweed production seeks to respond to high demand for the commodity in the global market, Head of the Plant Quarantine and Vegetable Biosafety Center Antarjo Dikin said on the sidelines of his visit here on Saturday.
Indonesia exported 174 thousand tons of seaweed in 2013, worth US$132.48 million, he said.
Seaweed is part of the bio-diverse products that have been largely cultivated in Indonesia, Antarjo added.
The country produces an average of 46.73 million tons of wet seaweed per year. Nearly 0.7 million tons of the production is used as material to produce food, fish feed, paint, ceramics, cosmetics, toothpaste, shampoo and pharmaceuticals.
China is the largest market for Indonesian seaweed, buying nearly 50 percent of the exports. The other markets for Indonesian seaweed are the Netherlands, Denmark, France, Spain and Britain.
Antarjo said 55 of 555 types of seaweed found in Indonesia have high economic value.
The three types of seaweed that have been widely cultivated in the country are Gracilaria spp, Eucheuma cottoni and sargassum (Alginat) spinosum, with cultivation areas covering 1,110,900 hectares.
The rise in seaweed production seeks to respond to high demand for the commodity in the global market, Head of the Plant Quarantine and Vegetable Biosafety Center Antarjo Dikin said on the sidelines of his visit here on Saturday.
Indonesia exported 174 thousand tons of seaweed in 2013, worth US$132.48 million, he said.
Seaweed is part of the bio-diverse products that have been largely cultivated in Indonesia, Antarjo added.
The country produces an average of 46.73 million tons of wet seaweed per year. Nearly 0.7 million tons of the production is used as material to produce food, fish feed, paint, ceramics, cosmetics, toothpaste, shampoo and pharmaceuticals.
China is the largest market for Indonesian seaweed, buying nearly 50 percent of the exports. The other markets for Indonesian seaweed are the Netherlands, Denmark, France, Spain and Britain.
Antarjo said 55 of 555 types of seaweed found in Indonesia have high economic value.
The three types of seaweed that have been widely cultivated in the country are Gracilaria spp, Eucheuma cottoni and sargassum (Alginat) spinosum, with cultivation areas covering 1,110,900 hectares.