The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) sees that there is considerable investment potential in the utilization of seaweed products. However, the use of new mariculture lands was recorded at 0.8% of the total potential. Seaweed is said to have many uses, ranging from food ingredients, pharmaceuticals, to cosmetic raw materials. For this reason, seaweed is often called 'green gold'. Special Assistant to the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries for Media and Public Communication, Doni Ismanto, explained that the development of seaweed cultivation is included in the KKP Blue Economy program because of its enormous potential in Indonesia. These potentials include the availability of 12.3 million hectares of mariculture land and only 102 thousand hectares have been utilized or 0.8%. "Seaweed can be said to be green gold from the sea. In terms of resources we have, we should not lose this opportunity. For this reason, of the five blue economy programs of the MPA, one of them is the development of sustainable cultivation. Now one of the commodities being encouraged is seaweed. This is our volume above, but in raw form it has not been processed that has more value, this is the challenge," said Doni Ismanto, citing an official statement, Tuesday (25/10/2022). Indonesia currently occupies the second position as the largest seaweed producer in the world behind China with production reaching 9.1 million tons based on 2021 data. Indonesia supplies the most raw materials for seaweed, specifically for the Euchema cottoni type. Meanwhile, the Director of Seeds of the Directorate General of Aquaculture, KKP Nono Hartanto, said that the strategy to increase seaweed productivity was carried out by the KKP in various lines. In the upstream, for example, by developing superior seaweed seeds based on a tissue culture system that is proven to grow faster and is resistant to pest attacks than ordinary seeds. In addition, KKP has an aquaculture village program and establishes seaweed cultivation clusters so that there is certainty in spatial planning for cultivators. There is also a business capital loan assistance program for small, medium and large class cultivators.
"There are 6 of our UPTs that have tissue culture labs to be able to produce superior seaweed seeds. We are targeting the UPT to increase its plantlet production which will be developed in the nursery, to be further distributed to nurseries owned by the local government and private sector. This is an easy step from the upstream side. Hopefully, it can answer the raw material needs of the seaweed industry in Indonesia," he explained. On the other hand, KKP is aggressively promoting investment opportunities for seaweed businesses in the country to increase the variety of products to be marketed. So far, the most exported products are raw materials, not processed products whose selling value is much higher. In the near future, KKP collaborates with BKPM, the World Bank and other parties to hold the Seaweed Investment Forum & Festival in Surabaya in early November 2022. This forum aims to strengthen domestic seaweed production, branding, and expand market access for business actors in the global market. "This is a form of reaffirmation of KKP's commitment to blue economy development through the promotion of champion commodities, one of which is seaweed. This event will build communication between stakeholders, because investment in seaweed is interrelated between upstream and downstream," said the Director of Business and Investment of the Directorate General Strengthening the Competitiveness of Marine and Fishery Products (PDSPKP), Catur Sarwanto who was also a resource person in the talkshow of the Maritime Talk show. The high potential of the seaweed product market in the global market was also shared by the Assistant Deputy for Aquaculture Development of the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs Rahmat Mulianda. Even seaweed has become an important commodity as there is a shift in economic growth from a land-based economy to a marine economy. Currently, seaweed is not only used as a raw material for making food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. But also related to carbon trading because of its ability to absorb carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which triggers climate change. "We are talking about seaweed, not just seaweed, but more broadly how the blue economy, blue development, blue carbon are all in seaweed. Why should we make this seaweed our concern, this is gold, we must use it as a source of livelihood and a source of income. our foreign exchange," he said.
Director of Natural Resources Planning at the Ministry of Investment / Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Ratih Purbasari Kania added that the steps taken by his party were to encourage increased investment in the fisheries sector, including the seaweed sector. The support offered includes transportation facilities in the form of Tax Allowance (TA), as well as Super Tax Deduction for Research and Development and Vocational Administration. "Then in accelerating investment in seaweed commodities, we also develop and implement focused and sustainable investment policies. Then improve coordination of investment promotions, implement promotional targets, and strengthen our role in facilitating investment requests. For investment promotion we map out target countries. To In the fisheries sector, there are Canada, Japan and New Zealand," he said. The Head of Communication and Public Relations of the Indonesian Seaweed Association, Indra Santoso, welcomed the KKP's move. Namely by increasing the productivity of national seaweed by preparing programs that can strengthen seaweed production in the upstream and downstream sectors. He admitted, seaweed is a fishery commodity that has been proven to be able to survive during the Covid-19 pandemic which has disrupted the movement of the world economy. In fact, according to him, the development of seaweed is able to present economic sovereignty in border areas. "This opportunity is still very wide, very external, and the prospects are very promising. In addition, there are many aspects that can be seen from this seaweed cultivation, for example for social purposes. In border areas, seaweed thrives and rupiah can be sovereign in border areas with other countries. "This will certainly strengthen the economy, which in turn will strengthen the unity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia," he explained.
