Wednesday, January 03, 2007 RP exports 3 kinds of seaweeds to France By Joy Romares-Sevilla
THE regional office of the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) said at least three kinds of seaweeds produced in the country were exported to France.
BAS-Southern Mindanao report said the Philippines is exporting seaweeds to at least ten places in the world including France, USA, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Okinawa, Denmark, Australia, and United Kingdom, but France imports at least three of the four forms of seaweeds the Philippines produced.
It was learned that the Philippines is producing carrageenan form of seaweeds, kelp powder, seaweeds and other algae form, and seaweeds algae used for food.
France imports the carrageenan, seaweeds algae used for food and the seaweeds and other algae form produced by the country.
France was also posted to be the top importer of seaweeds and other algae form among USA, Korea, China, and Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, the US also imports seaweeds and other algae form and seaweeds algae used for food from the country. On the other hand, highest exports of kelp powder were only noticeable in Japan, which posted to have biggest import of the kelp powder among other countries. Philippines exports 98.85 percent of kelp powder to Japan, while only 1.15 percent was exported to other countries in 2005.
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Bfar) Director George Campeon earlier said the agency will continue to strengthen seaweeds promotion this year since it has a potential market in other countries.
He said that an action plan for seaweeds development and promotion, not only for Davao Region, but also for the Region 12 and the Autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) was already scheduled tentatively for the first quarter of this year.
