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PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center TOP QUALITY FIJI SEAWEED IN HIGH DEMAND By Serafina Silaitoga SUVA, Fiji (Fiji Times, April 8, 2008) - Seaweed is very much in demand from markets in the Phillipines and Korea Fiji needs to increase seaweed farming to help meet export demand, says Agricultural Marketing Authority business development manager Aca Domolailai. He said Fiji presently exports 15 tons every three months to markets in the Phillipines and Korea. "At the moment, we are not meeting the demand which companies in the Phillipines and Korea want. The market wants a fortnight’s supply and most of the buyers want the Fiji product because of its quality," Mr. Domolailai said. He said they had liaised with the Ministry of Fisheries and have put forward to interim Minister Joketani Cokanasiga a proposal to improve market supply. Domolailai said they proposed that coastal areas in Viti Levu such as in Ra and Sigatoka be used for seaweed farms and the villagers could start the projects themselves. "The interesting part about seaweed farming is that there is no hard work involved such as cultivating the land or putting fertilizer on it. Farmers just plant the seaweed and leave it in the sea for six weeks and is a short-term generating income for the people." Domolailai said Fiji produced a month’s supply in a year and this needed to change to improve supply to the markets as the demand grows. He said that Ono-i-Lau was the major supplier of seaweed but the limited boat trips to the island hindered the need to improve Fiji’s supply of seaweed to the market. AMA buys seaweed for 60 cents [US 40 cents] a kilogram. In the North, villagers of Lakeba in Namuka, Macuata have started start seaweed farms. Fiji Times Online: http://www.fijitimes.com. |
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