Seaweed: A hope for the Economy
Prepared by: Reo Paolo M.Uri

Ice cream, toothpaste, pet food, and medicine capsule so these are just some products that utilize carrageenan as main ingredient.
Carrageanan is extracted from Eucheuna and pharmaceutical products. Otherwise known as kappaphycus spp, Eucheuma os believe to be effective against human immunodefieciency virus (HIV) and dengue virus.
         The philippine seaweed industry had gone a long way from being an alternative livehood in the 1980's to become one of the major industries in the country. Presently, the philippines is one of the top producers of seaweeds. The country exports seaweed either in its raw or in its process form to france, south korea, china, the united states, and hong kong.
          The bureau of agricultural statistics (BAS) reveals that 21 percent of the country's total fisheries export values are from seaweeds. A total of 3717 metric tons of refined carrageanan brought in US S 32 million.
           Region 4, 9, and the ARMM are the major producers of seaweed, Mindanao contributes 60 percent to the philippines' seaweed production, with the provinces of Tawi-tawi and Zamboanga leading the pack. Meanwhile, davao and palawan are being tapped as future sources of seaweeds.
            The seaweed industry provides employment for 100,000 to 120,000 Filipinos, 90 percent of which are seaweed farmers while the thrust are seaweed processors and traders.
            Of the more than 800 species found in the Philippines, the most indemand are Eucheuma,Kappaphycus, Gracilaria spp, Caulempalentillera, Codium acerosa, Malymenia, Prophyra, and Sargassum spp.
             Data from the seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines (SIAP) show that 58% of the total seaweed production is processed into carageanan, 31% is exported raw, and the remaining 11% is refined.

Facing the cahllenge

Despite the industry's contribution to the philippines economy, it is still best with concerns that affect not only the seaweeds farmers but the processors and exporters as well.
The bureau of food and aquatic resources (BFAR) classifies the concerns as local and global. Pollution in production areas, indequate supply of dried seaweeds for processing, peace and order situation is seaweeds producing areas, and disease affecting seaweeds make up the local. Meanwhile the increasing competition in Eucheuma production by malaysia, indonesia, and africa comprises the global issue. The philippines goverment has drafted possible interreactions to adress both local and global problems.
        The establishment of 107 seaweed nurseries nationwide, maintenance of seaweed health, provision for postharvest facilities or stilt dryers, and the creation of a pilot semiporcessing plant sorsogon to produce seaweeds chips were among the interventions porposed 2003.

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