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Monday, October 11, 2004
Seaweed processors still facing shortage
THE Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines (Siap) is urging the government to fully implement the National Integrated Seaweed and Seaweed Products Development and Promotion (NIS-SPDP) program to maximize the growth potential of the seaweed processing industry.
Siap president Benson Dakay said Siap will send a position paper to President Arroyo stating the urgency of fully implementing the program.
He said the export of processed seaweeds or carrageenan is expected to double this year, from $143 million last year, if there will be ample supply of raw seaweeds in the country.
The NIS-SPDP, which President Arroyo herself initiated, aims to increase seaweed production in the country to meet the demand of seaweed processors this year, aside from meeting the global demand for the dried Euchema Cottonii seaweed in 2006.
A year after its implementation, however, seaweed processors in the country are still suffering from the shortage of raw seaweeds.
“The program failed to reach its projected increase of production by 31.57 percent a year after the implementation. Of the 31.57 percent target in production increase, only 3.2 percent was achieved,” Dakay said.
He told a press conference that one of the reasons for the supply shortage was the entry of Chinese traders into the country to buy raw seaweeds from the farmers at prices higher than seaweed processors are offering.
Dakay said most of the Chinese buyers are not complying with government requirements, such as tax and other documentary fees, for exporting these raw seaweeds to China.
This is why Siap is also asking the government to impose additional taxes on raw seaweed exportation to protect local processors, he said.
Dakay said local seaweed processors need at least 155,000 metric tons of raw seaweeds annually. Last year, seaweed farmers produced only 127,693.22 metric tons, resulting in a shortage.
If fully implemented, the NIS-SPDP can help the seaweed processing industry grow at the same rate as the global market and boost the country’s economy, aside from increasing the livelihood opportunities of marginal fishermen, especially those from Mindanao, he said. JBN
(October 11, 2004 issue)
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