Treasures in the shallows: India's coastline rich in high-value seaweeds

Shallow waters along India’s vast coastline of over 7,516 kilometres are bestowed with copious resources of high-value and multi-utility seaweeds, which have a sizable, and steadily growing, demand in the domestic and export markets. Unfortunately, only a minuscule fraction of these renewable resources is currently being gainfully exploited. But, thankfully, captive cultivation of seaweeds is gradually expanding to cater to the specific needs of seaweed-utilising industries in the food-processing, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and other sectors. The Centre and the governments of several coastal states, notably those of Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala, are incentivising seaweed farming to augment seaweed supplies and generate additional employment and income for fishing communities. As a result, seaweeds are emerging as lucrative crops for fish farmers. Many countries, such as China, Indonesia, Korea, the Philippines, Japan, Malaysia, Zanzibar, and Chile, have already made significant advances in seaweed production and international trade.

 

Unlike weeds in crop fields, which are unwanted plants meant to be eliminated, seaweed is, by and large, naturally occurring useful aquatic organisms, comprising different kinds of algae (green, brown, and red algae). These are a vital part of the coastal ecosystem and serve as food and hosts for many other marine life forms. Being nutrient-rich entities, many seaweeds are used as ingredients in human diets and animal feeds, and as bio-fertilisers for crops. Some of them, which possess therapeutic traits, are used in nutraceutical, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical products.

 

Agar, agarose and carrageenan, jelly-like substances (basically polysaccharides) produced from seaweeds, are already being utilised widely as constituents of processed foods, feeds, toothpastes, and skincare products. Agar, derived from red algae, is a well-known derivative of seaweed that is commonly used as a vegetarian substitute for gelatin, a thickening agent in soup, a preservative in processed foods, and an inhibitor of ice crystallisation in ice creams and frozen packaged desserts.

 

Seaweed availability in the Indian littoral waters is reckoned to be around 9.7 million tonnes a year. But, at present, only 34,000-35,000 tonnes, around 0.35 per cent, are being actually tapped, and commercially utilised. The government’s goal is to achieve a seaweed production level of one million tonnes by 2025 through higher harvesting from natural sources, and better captive cultivation. This target may be hard to achieve, given that seaweed farming at present relies heavily on culturing a single species, Kappaphycus alvarezii, which has become vulnerable to diseases. However, new strains of seaweeds are being sourced from abroad to diversify seaweed farming and boost production.

 

The government’s flagship scheme for the fisheries sector, the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), also envisages several measures to promote seaweed farming. These include setting up seaweed nurseries and seed banks, tissue culture laboratories, skill and business development, and specialised seaweed markets. Financial assistance is being offered to seaweed-producing entrepreneurs to acquire inputs and other wherewithal for seaweed farming. Seaweed collection and cultivation are lucrative occupations for fish farmers because the cost of production is low and the value of the produce is high.

 

Recently, the government has designated the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Kochi, as the nodal agency for promoting seaweed farming in the country. The Mandapan Regional Centre of the CMFRI, which is already engaged in research and developed on seaweed, would introduce improved seaweed-farming practices, ensure steady supply of high-quality seeding material, and provide other kinds of assistance to seaweed farmers. It would also set up a seed bank of seaweeds.

 

Of the 844 recorded species of seaweed in India, 434 species are of red algae, 194 of brown algae, and 216 of green algae. The bulk of these stocks are found along the seashores of Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Odisha, Lakshadweep, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Major urban centres located close to the seaweed-rich oceanic belts include Mumbai, Ratnagiri, Goa, Karwar, Varkala, Vizhinjam, and Pulicat. However, the seaweed-based industry is still underdeveloped, with hardly around 50 units being in operation across the country. Most of these are engaged in the production of agar and alginate. Many of these units are unable to operate at full capacity due to paucity of raw material. Bolstering seaweed supplies is, therefore, imperative.

 

Notably, Tamil Nadu has drawn up an elaborate plan to become a modern seaweed industrial hub. It is creating the needed eco-environment to woo investors and entrepreneurs by creating single-window facilities to meet their diverse needs. The Lakshadweep administration, too, has declared nine of its inhabited islands as seaweed-cultivation hubs. The CMFRI has been roped in to provide the necessary research and development support to entrepreneurs in this Union territory.

 

All these, obviously, are welcome initiatives aimed at ramping up the output and commercialisation of seaweed. But a good deal more needs to be done to adequately harness the country’s seaweed production potential.

 

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surinder.sud@gmail.com