Seaweed production in the Philippines clocked 365,775 tonnes between April and June 2023, earning a 33.8% portion in the fisheries sector. On the flip side, the Department of Agriculture (DA) revealed plans on October 26 of refining seaweed to make cheap alternative animal feed.

DA’s undersecretary for Livestock Deogracias, Victor Savellano hinted at full plans for the“conversion of seaweed” to fodder. 

He remarked on seaweed as a longevity contributor, immunity booster and gut cleanser when used as poultry feed. He also noted the nutritional benefit that seaweed lends eggs and meat. 

This at a time when seaweed production ranks first among fisheries sub-sectors, totalling 365.8 million kg in spring 2023.  Hence, DA is looking forward to co-operating with the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) to convert this bulk production.

In a document entitled Kappaphycus, or National Seaweed Roadmap, the government details a four-year seaweed-processing projection, ending 2026.

One of the priorities will be to  redeem falling production, which in 2019 comprised up to 70% of all aquaculture production. That year, seaweed earned the Philippines some $250 million. 

The second goal will be to establish value-addition processing plants in villages along the 60,000-hectare seaweed coastline across the country. The main coastal regions include Bohol, Palawan, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region and Zamboanga peninsula.

At the heart of the processing plans will be village co-operatives. These will link up the main industry players, namely processors, brokers and input suppliers to farmers. 

Farming implements for harvesting raw seaweed and drying it are currently at a primitive level and need prioritisation. Farmers employ paddle boats, bamboo sticks, plastic bottles and used styrofoam as floaters.

The government and NGOs, however, sometimes dole out free seaweed seeds to producers. The latter also access modern harvesting equipment such as nylon and polyethylene and wooden stakes from local hardware outlets. 

With cheaper animal feed in form of processed seaweed, the government hopes to alleviate rising beef and chicken costs.

Beef price in Manila markets per DA statistics of October 27, 2023 averaged PHP 437.42 ($7.70) a kg. Chicken, on the other hand, retailed at PHP 177.76 ($3.13) on the same date.