Malaysia Interested in Banyuwangi Sea Weed

Tempo Interactive, Friday, 28 May, 2010 | 01:57 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Surabaya: Malaysia has started to notice the potential of sea Weed in Banyuwangi, East Java.

A Malaysain food producer, PT Adabi, recently conduct a survey on sea weed (Eucheuma Cottoni) at the production center in Wongsorejo Sub-district, Banyuwangi.

According to the Section Head of Farmers Empowerment of Banyuwangi Maritime and Fisheries Office, Suryono Bintang Samudra, PT Adabi is interested in making Banyuwangi sea weed as raw material for food industry because of its high carrageenan content.

Carrageenan is extracted from seaweed to be used in food industry because its jelly characteristic thicken and stabilize the main ingredient.

Suyono said that if exports to Malaysia could be realized, he is optimistic that it will encourage Banyuwangi fisherman to cultivate seaweed.

Because from 4,100 hectare of seaweed potential, there is only 10 percent of land used with a production of 10-13 tons per day.

“Meanwhile, our production target is 20 ton,” he said.

The areas which become center of seaweed culture are Wongsorejo, Muncar and Pesanggaran subdistricts.

Meanwhile, seaweed from Banyuwangi is still bought by local market, like Bali and Surabaya.

“We have not exported it yet,” he said.

The still low seaweed production in Banyuwangi, he said, is caused by the too long seaweed harvest, which needs 40-45 days.

“This is what makes fishermen not enthusiastic about seaweed culture.”

IKA NINGTYAS

RI ranked 11th as world fishery exporter

Antara News, Thursday, May 6, 2010 16:18 WIB

Manado, N Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - Indonesia is ranked 11th on the list of the world`s fishery exporter countries with exports worth US$1.79 billion, a trade official said.

"Indonesia`s market share in the world`s fishery exports accounts for 1.74 percent of the world`s total fishery exports," Djoko Purnomo, head of the fishery export affairs of the Directorate General of External Trade, said here on Thursday.

He said that the world`s fishery exports in 2008 were recorded at US$72.67 billion, or an increase of 7.94 percent if compared with that in 2005 which stood at US$57.66 billion.

Indonesia`s fishery product export destinations included the United States (29.04 percent), Japan (16.90 percent), China (3.66 percent), Hong Kong (3.14 percent), Singapore (3.05 percent), Thailand 2(.34 percent), Malaysia (2.23 percent) and South Korea (2.18 percent).

The country`s fishery exports were dominated by shrimps worth US$845 million (47 percent) followed by frozen fish valued at 228 million dollars, or 12 percent, fresh fish worth 225 million dollars (12 percent), fillet, fish meat and seaweeds.

According to Purnomo, Indonesia`s major exporter provinces in Indonesia`s western region included East Java, Jakarta, North Sumatra, Lampung and Central Java.

In the eastern region, major exporter provinces are South Sulawesi, Bali, Maluku, North Sulawesi and Central Sulawesi, he said.

EU to lift mercury testing on RI edible fish products

Mustaqim Adamrah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 04/23/2010 10:51 AM

Indonesian edible fish products destined for European markets will no longer be subject to rigorous mercury detection inspections, an association says.

“Indonesia has managed to relax a European Union (EU) regulation — starting April 16. (Indonesia’s)

sea catches will no longer be subject to mercury inspections,” Indonesian Fisheries Processing

and Marketing Entrepreneurs Association chairman Thomas Darmawan told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

The heavy metal detection requirement has been in place since 2006. The regulation was passed in 2006 after an EU commission team found that fisheries products imported from Indonesia and intended for human consumption spoiled quickly and contained high levels of histamine.

The inspections also revealed that Indonesian authorities did not carry out reliable inspections of fish, in particular to detect histamine and heavy metals, the 2006 Commission Decision said.

A letter sent last month by the Food Standards Agency, an independent government department with headquarters in the United Kingdom, said the European Commission proposed to revoke the 2006 Commission

Decision, which requires heavy metal testing on all imports of non-aquaculture fishery products from Indonesia.

“The Commission has now received appropriate guarantees from the Indonesian authorities that controls are in place to ensure products meet EU requirements as regards to heavy metals,” the letter said.

“Also, the results of import controls at EU Border Inspection Posts indicate that imports are satisfactory.”

Although it lifts a mercury testing requirement, the EU has increased the strictness of antibiotics testing on farmed fishery products from Indonesia.

It now stipulates that a minimum 20 percent of consignments be tested, up from 10 percent, according

to Thomas.

“The issue of antibiotics is actually an old problem,” he said.

“We actually have improved now. But maybe an [EU] inspection team found unsatisfactory results during their visit here last November.”

The FSA in its letter said that at least 20 percent of consignments of farmed fisheries products from Indonesia intended for human consumption would be subjected at Border Inspection Posts to sampling for testing for pharmacologically active substances, in particular chloramphenicol, metabolites of nitrofurans and tetracyclines (including tetracycline, oxytetracycline and chlortecycline).

According to Thomas, Indonesia exported US$146.6 million worth of shrimp, $34.29 million of tuna, $21.24 million of seaweed and $100.54 million of processed fish (excluding tuna and shrimp), to Europe in 2009.

Central Statistics Agency data showed that non-oil and gas exports to the EU stood at $2.59 billion in the first two months of this year, up by 37.8 percent from the $1.88 billion booked in that period last year.

Indonesia’s Seaweed Export Value to China up by 400 Percent

Tempo Interactive, Thursday, 22 April, 2010 | 16:05 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Makassar: China has become South Sulawesi’s biggest seaweed market. This can be seen from the export value that skyrocketed from US$ 2,574 million in 2008 to US$ 10,603 million 2009, a 400 percent increase.

“The reason is simple; China has just imported seaweed directly from us,” said Arman Arfah, chairman of South Sulawesi Farmer and Seaweed Processor Association, yesterday.

Earlier, Indonesia’s main destination for seaweed exports was the Philippines. Then, China imported the commodity from the Philippines. However, since the Indonesian Seaweed Forum was held in Makassar in 2008, Indonesia began exporting directly to China.

The international forum is held every three years. The next assembly will take place in 2011.

In general, the export value of Indonesia’s seaweed from 2008 to 2009 increased by five percent. The total export value in 2009 amounted to US$ 17,619 million.

Indonesia is ranked fourth in the world’s seaweed exporter list. Indonesia’s major seaweed market is China, the Philippines, South Korea, Chile, and Vietnam.

The government continues to intensify programs improving seaweed production. At present, the country produces two million tons of wet seaweed per year. Meanwhile the Maritime and Fishery Ministry’s target for 2014 is 10 million tons per year.

The government is also making efforts to improve and set a standard quality. The world’s demand in wet seaweed is six million tons per year.

To avoid excessive production if the government’s target is achieved, the South Sulawesi Farmer and Seaweed Processor Association is implementing a program promoting the consumption of seaweed and healthy fibrous foods.

“Seaweed is healthy, so we should not export all of it,” Arman said.

FADHILAH NAZIF

RI planning to process all seaweeds at home

Antara News, Friday, March 19, 2010 01:05 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia, the world`s biggest producer of the Eucheuma seaweed, plans to process the commodity at home, an official said here on Thursday.

"In the future we must process it more or, if possible, totally at home," the deputy for natural resource development technology of the Technology Assessment and Application Agency (BPPT), Prof Dr Jana Anggardiredja said.

Prof Jana who is also the chairman of the Indonesian Seaweed Society said almost all of the Gracilaria sp seaweed production has already been absorbed at home because there has already been a gelatin plant, which is the world`s biggest, in the country.

However Indonesia still imports carrageenin, the raw material produced from the Eucheuma seaweed for use in various food products such as ice cream, sausages, milk, candies and alginate, produced from Sargassum sp, he said.

"We still import carrageenin and alginate," he said.

He said a lot of researches are still needed to raise the target of seaweed processing at home from 20 to 50 kinds.

He said China whose sea does not produce seaweeds has a lot of seaweed processing industries and therefore needs a lot of seaweed as the raw materials from Indonesia.

He said the world`s demand for carrgeenin in 2006 reached 40,000 metric tons a year worth US$335 million, while alginate 12,000 metric tons a year worth US$94 million and gelatine 10,000 metric tons a year worth US$181 million.

In 2014 he hoped absorption of domestically processed carrageenin would increase to 15 percent or around 4,000 tons while exports to reach around 22,000 tons.

He also hoped absorbtion of domestically processed gelatine would be 85 percent or around 4,250 tons and exports around 750 tons.

Besides increasing production he would also seek to improve the quality of Indonesian seaweeds so far still considered low.

The head of the Indonesian Seaweed Association, Safari Husen, said Indonesia has been nominated as host for the 21st International Seaweed Symposium in Bali next month.

"It means Indonesia has been internationally recognized not only as a seaweed producer but also producer of seaweed processing products," he said.

The forum would also study how to develop seaweed industries from upstream to downstream, he said.

Indonesia seaweed supply to RP assured

BusinessMirror, Agri-Commodities, Written by Jennifer A. Ng / Reporter, WEDNESDAY, 10 FEBRUARY 2010 19:48

INDONESIA has assured seaweed processors from the Philippines that it will be able to supply its requirements for raw seaweed in the coming years.

Dr. Victor Nikijuluw, a director of Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, disclosed that Jakarta is not planning to impose a total ban on seaweed exports.

“[We are not planning to impose] a total ban; what we plan to do is manage exports,” Nikijuluw told reporters in a press briefing in Makati City late Monday night.

The Indonesian official said he is looking at three approaches to “manage exports.”

One approach, he said, is to give the license to import raw seaweed to companies that operate processing plants in Indonesia.

“[The second approach] is to give the export license to small and medium enterprises and cooperatives. This will ensure that SMEs and cooperatives benefit from the export of raw seaweed,” said Nikijuluw.

The Indonesian official said the third approach would be to implement a quota system for traders. He noted that Jakarta may implement all these strategies by 2012.

Last year Nikijuluw disclosed that Indonesia produced a total of 300,000 metric tons of raw seaweed. Of this volume, around 85 percent was exported to other markets. China cornered a significant chunk of this volume. The Philippines accounts for about 25 percent of what Indonesia exports to the world.

By 2014, Indonesia is targeting to increase raw-seaweed production to 1 million metric tons. Nikijuluw assured that the Philippines would still be able to get supply from Indonesia.

Benson Dakay, president of the Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines (SIAP), hopes that Indonesia will not resort to a total ban on raw-seaweed exports.

“[Jakarta] wants [all raw seaweeds] to be processed before it ships out seaweed products. If Indonesia will impose a total ban, [their] farmers would surely suffer, because they will lose markets for their produce,” said Dakay, who also owns the seaweed-processing firm Shemberg Corp.

Meanwhile, Dakay disclosed that local seaweed processors are operating below capacity due to the lack of local seaweed supply.

“Our cottonii processing is only 30 percent, because there is no raw seaweed. We [currently] rely on Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia for supply,” he said.

The SIAP chief said the lack of local seaweed supply can be traced to the inability of farmers to get financing for their farming venture.

“In the past, [seaweed-processing companies] extend loans to farmers and if they default, companies can write off their loans. Now, we can no longer do that,” said Dakay.

Benjamin Tabios Jr., assistant director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, said the agency’s hands are practically tied because there is no enabling law that gives them the authority to finance seaweed farmers.

“Nowhere can you find in the Fisheries Code a specific language on financing for the seaweed industry,” said Tabios.

Seaweed is one of the top 10 export winners of the Philippines. In 2008 the value of seaweeds and carageenan exports reached $122 million, according to Department of Agriculture figures.

NTB`s 2009 seaweed production reaches 100,000 tons

Antara News, Sunday, December 13, 2009 02:32 WIB

Mataram, W Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA News) - West Nusa Tenggara or NTB province produced a total of 100,000 tons of dried seaweed from January to November 2009, a maritime and fisheries official said.

"Actually NTB can increase its dried seaweed production because out of its 23,000 hectares of potential seaweed production area, only 6,700 hectares have so far been developed," head of the provincial maritime and fisheries office, H.M. Ali Syahdan said here Saturday.

Syahdan said NTB seaweed farmers became more motivated to produce seaweed after learning that the fisheries and marine commodity was exported to many countries.

In fact, seaweed was now one of Indonesia`s premier marine export commodities.

Therefore, it was not surprising that national seaweed production increased from 32,000 tons in 2006 to over 36,000 tons in 2007 and to nearly 70,000 tons in 2008 and 100,000 tons in 2009, he said.

NTB`s provincial government had launched a movement for coastal communities with a dried seaweed-based production target in the year 2013 totaling 546,626.40 tons of seaweed export standard quality.

According to Syahdan, NTB has the potential to produce 800,000 tons of seaweed in a producing area of about 41,000 hectares.

Seaweed production in this area was expected to continue to rise to the maximum target of 800,000 tons, Syahdan said, without mentioning the value of the exported seaweed.

Syahdan said, seaweed production centers were spread in the districts of East Lombok, Central Lombok, West Lombok, and other districts which have coastal area.

The number of seaweed farmers in the province had reached 6,000, he added.

Rising sea temperatures bad news for seaweed farmers

Desy Nurhayati, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali | Tue, 10/27/2009 10:45 PM

Seaweed farmers in Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan islands, Bali, are suffering from changing sea conditions as a result of climate change.

Community development group Kalimajari, which assist seaweed farmers in Nusa Penida, said sea temperatures had increased by between 2 and 3 degrees Celsius in the last two years, causing the outbreak of a disease locally known as ice-ice, a condition that causes seaweed to decay.

“Farmers have been complaining about sea temperatures getting hotter, and have found the outbreak occurs every planting cycle,” I Gusti Agung Ayu Widiastuti, from Kalimajari, told a seminar on adaptation to climate change in coastal areas, in Sanur, Bali, on Tuesday.

She said the extreme changes in sea conditions had depleted stocks of Euchema seaweed, previously the most profitable species for farmers.

Seaweed production decreased from 500 tons in 2007 to 200 tons in 2008.

Seaweed farming is the main livelihood of people on the two islands.

Normally, they earn between Rp 1.5 and 2 million each harvest period, but now they struggle to make ends meet.