Seaweed is now a fishery commodity with high economic value with a wide open market at home and abroad. In the last three years, the increase in demand for seaweed has driven the price of Raw Dried Seaweed (RDS) three times since July 2017. However, the increasing demand for seaweed has not been met by local production. The volume of national seaweed production has continued to decline steadily by 8.6 percent annually since 2015. However, data from the Ministry of Industry states that exports of processed seaweed products in the form of carrageenan and agar will reach 14,000 tons or US$ 96.1 million in 2020. Indonesia is currently the 6th carrageenan exporter in the world, and the 7th exporter in the world market with the destination countries for exporting processed seaweed products to China, the United States, and South Korea.
National dried seaweed production reaches 364,000 tons per year with around 40 seaweed processing industries and a total processing capacity of 64,900 tons per year. According to the Director of the Kalimajari Foundation, IGA Agung Widiastuti, a foundation that focuses on developing local commodities in the country, there are several things that trigger the low production and productivity of national seaweed cultivation. Among them, the availability of quality and sustainable seaweed seeds as well as guaranteeing safe distribution to farmers, as well as targeting accuracy. In addition, it is also due to the low involvement of the private sector in research and provision of quality seeds, as well as communication and coordination mechanisms between the central and regional governments that have not been optimal in designing programs.
"From the cultivator's perspective, there is still a lack of good and correct technical knowledge and information specifically for nurseries," he explained in the Virtual Workshop on Seaweed Nursery Governance as a Framework for Development and Distribution of Seeds organized by the Kalimajari Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), Wednesday. (29/9/2021) He said that Indonesia as one of the seaweed-producing countries has the potential to continue to develop seaweed production through cultivation activities, supported by a very wide coastline and lots of potential land.
Dr. TB. Haeru Rahayu, A.Pi., M.Sc. The Director General of Cultivated Fisheries at the KKP explained that seaweed is a cultivation commodity which will become one of the leading sectors in the next 2022-2024 phase. Before 2020, Indonesian seaweed production was still high, but entering 2020 it fell due to the pandemic. KKP is trying to keep the seaweed production target of 12.4 million tons by 2024 being achieved so that the value and volume of seaweed exports increases. "Preparing this industry is very important, especially to be able to meet the increasing demand, both from within and outside the country," he said.
One of the agency's policies to support the provision of superior seeds at this time is by providing tissue culture KBRL (Seaweed Seedling) packages to maintain the availability of superior seeds in terms of quality, quantity, and sustainability. Ir. Nono Hartanto, M.Aq. The Director of Seeds of the Directorate General of Aquaculture, KKP stated, the target of this KBRL package assistance is the breeders who are members of the seaweed cultivator group. "The seaweed breeders are then expected to be able to supply the needs for seeds for cultivators, so that they can increase seaweed production and the welfare of seaweed cultivators," said Nono Hartanto.
Seaweed Nursery Assistance will later be distributed by the Technical Implementation Unit (UPT DJPB). The UPTs involved in this distribution include the Lampung Marine Cultivation Center, the Ambon Marine Cultivation Center, the Takalar Brackish Water Cultivation Center, the Situbondo Brackish Water Cultivation Center, the Jepara Brackish Water Cultivation Center, and the Lombok Marine Cultivation Center. The details of the Seaweed Nursery Assistance Package will be adjusted to the conditions in the field, such as the size of the nursery, the cultivation method used, and the delivery time. One of the seaweed-producing areas in Eastern Indonesia is the Yapen Islands Regency. The Regent of Yapen Islands, Tonny Tesar, S.Sos, stated that his district has the potential to develop a seaweed cultivation area of 270 hectares combined from several districts ranging from the Yerui district, the westernmost part of the Yapen Islands, to the East Yapen district. "With this area, it is predicted to be able to absorb as many as 2,160 workers," he said.
Tissue Culture Seeds
Nur Muflich Juniyanto, S.Pi., M.Sc., Head of the Ambon Marine Cultivation Fisheries Center (BPBL), DJPB, KKP stated that his institution is currently distributing tissue culture seaweed seeds to all corners of Indonesia for the rejuvenation of old seaweeds that quality has started to decline.
Nur explained that currently his party is boosting the cultivation and distribution of seaweed seeds from spores in 2 locations of seedling cultivation, respectively, in the waters of Ambon Bay and on Wainaru Beach, Ambon Island. These two gardens have a production capacity of 5000 kg per year with the size of 300 grams of enlargement seeds supported by a tissue culture laboratory that has been operating since 2016. Apart from Indonesia, countries that also develop spore seeds are China, Korea and Japan. The advantages of this type of seed include more efficient seed distribution, seed production does not depend on the season, and traceability of sources of seaweed seeds. In several locations in Indonesia, spore-bearing seaweed breeders can be found, so this method is considered very promising.
Kappaphycus seed production comes from spores with broodstock originating from the Padaido Islands, in the Biak Numfor Regency. Spore grass brooders were also found in the waters of Muda and Bombana Regencies. Nur explained, the assistance of seaweed aunts in the BPBL working area in Ambon reached 40,000 kg in 2020 and in 2021 13,000 kg of seeds had been distributed to the Taliabu, Sula, and Tanimbar Islands Regencies. "We are expanding and adding the capacity of the tissue culture lab to increase the production of micropropagules and plantets," he said. Through this program, Kalimajari is projected to be able to have an impact on more than 30,000 cultivating households by the end of 2023 with an increase in productivity of around 30 percent for existing cultivators, and an increase in income of around 47 percent for new cultivators.
