Red seaweed farming in the Philippines, particularly the eucheumatoids genera (Kappaphycus/Eucheuma), stands as a thriving billion-peso industry providing employment opportunities to about 1.2 million Filipino fisherfolk. Seaweed farming is a stimulus for reducing poverty and ensuring food security in rural areas, involving relatively low operational costs and requiring only easy maintenance. Many coastal communities rely heavily on cultivating this commodity for additional income, particularly in ecologically suitable areas for seaweed culture. It is also a driver of environmental quality by capturing CO2 during photosynthesis and by absorbing nitrogen and phosphorus to reduce pollution (eutrophication). Seaweed are, thus, considered one of the most versatile marine organisms.
The Philippine seaweed industry is a major contributor to fisheries production in the Philippines. It ranks first among aquaculture commodities in terms of volume, comprising 60-70% of total aquaculture production. Seaweed has consistently ranked among the top three fisheries exports. In 2023, seaweed aquaculture contributed 33.8 percent of total fishery production in the country, making it a top export product for the fisheries sector. The seaweed farming industry has been integral to the country’s coastal communities and plays a vital role in the Philippine economy. Among all species in the aquaculture subsector, seaweed is the primary commodity produced, followed by milkfish and tilapia. More importantly, the seaweed industry supports the livelihoods of over a million Filipinos, most of whom are small seaweed farmers.
Moreover, seaweed farming is often a family business and is a primary income source for coastal and island-dwelling households. From 2019 to 2021, a downward trend in seaweed production was generally observed. However, in 2022 and 2023, the Philippines showed a significant increase, with approximately 1,544,959.98 and 1,626,245.11 metric tons produced, representing a 15 and 21 percent increase from the 2021 output of 1,343,706.55 metric tons (PSA, 2023). The Philippines is also the fourth-largest producer of seaweed globally, behind China, Indonesia, and Korea.
Despite production growth and increasing export demand, the Philippine seaweed industry faces various threats and challenges that limit its potential. Challenges include degrading genetic material making seaweed vulnerable to disease outbreaks, low productivity of current cultivars, an insufficient supply of good-quality seaweed propagules, and lack of compliance with good farming practices and biosecurity measures. Additionally, the industry faces natural calamities, climate change impacts, and other factors that affect overall production volume. These challenges have impeded the Philippines’ ability to reclaim its position as the top global producer of the red seaweed, Kappaphycus.
The
Philippine Seaweed Industry
Roadmap 2023-2026
Process of drafting The Philippine SEAWEED Industry Roadmap
01
Secretary William Dar ordered all commodity roadmaps under the Department of Agriculture to be reviewed and updated. These include tilapia, bangus, SEAWEED, shrimp, mussels, and oysters.
2
DA-BFAR created Technical Working Group for the formulation of the Philippine SEAWEED Industry Roadmap
03
Conducted series of consultation meeting with various SEAWEED stakeholders, including farmers, processors, buyers/traders, seaweed experts, and representative from National Government Agencies (NFRDI, DTI-BOI, and BFAR).
OBJECTIVE
To develop a detailed strategic plan for the Philippine seaweeds industry that will guide progress towards its goal of regaining its position in the international seaweeds industry and be the “Primary Seaweed and Carrageenan Supplier in the Global Market”.
VISION
MISSION
