The Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has set aside P1.06 billion for the 2024 fiscal year to enhance the seaweed industry under the Enhanced Philippine Seaweed Development Program (EPSDP). Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the initiative aims to support the growth of aquaculture, with seaweed being a key agricultural export.
Secretary Tiu Laurel said BFAR’s data indicates significant potential for expanding seaweed farming, with 64,000 hectares identified for growth. This expansion could boost annual seaweed output by 50 percent, creating thousands of jobs and increasing foreign exchange earnings.
Isidro Velayo Jr., officer-in-charge of BFAR, said that half of the allocated funds would go towards distributing seaweed farming equipment, building new nurseries, and maintaining existing seaweed culture areas. The budget also includes the construction of warehouses, mechanical dryers, and food carts across the country. Additionally, P10 million will be spent on two bioreactors, which are expected to produce 4,100 metric tons of seaweed planting materials, or propagules, to cultivate 410 hectares of seaweed.
The Philippine Statistics Authority reports that the country’s seaweed industry produced 1.6 million metric tons of fresh seaweed in 2023, generating P12.7 billion in revenue. BFAR also identified large seaweed farming areas in Tawi-Tawi, Southwestern Luzon, and the Zamboanga Peninsula, further emphasizing the sector’s growth potential.
