THE Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Bfar) will put up seaweed nurseries to ensure the continuous supply of high quality seedstock for propagation.
Bfar has identified Bohol as one of its target nursery sites for seaweeds.
Bfar executive director Malcolm Sarmiento said Bohol, located below the typhoon belt, is a viable location for seaweed nurseries.
“We are targeting at least 10 seaweed nurseries for Bohol before the end of the year,” said Sarmiento on the sidelines of the consultative meeting of DA and the Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines Wednesday at the Cebu City Country Club.
Sarmiento assured the processors and the farmers that the department has the budget for the project.
“We have the money now,” he said.
He said a one-fourth-hectare seaweed nursery would cost about P70,000.
Benefit
The establishment of seaweed nurseries, which aims to benefit the seaweed processors and farmers, will help increase seaweed production, improve seaweed quality and reduce post-harvest losses.
Sarmiento said the project will be turned over to the local government units (LGU).
“We are going to give the project to the LGU, and it will be assigned to group of farmers,” he said.
The seaweed grow-out, he added, will be sold to farmers at a cheaper price.
Seaweed nurseries will also be put up in other areas in the Visayas and Mindanao.