Maluku Has Potential To be Superior Seaweed Center

Langgur, Maluku, March 26 (Antara) - Coordinating Minister for Economy Hatta Rajasa has promised to make Maluku Province the center for superior seaweed in Indonesia. "To make Maluku a superior seaweed center will be part of my working program," the economic minister promised during a seaweed grand harvest at Levtuan village in Southeast Maluku district on Tuesday. Hatta Rajasa explained that he would discussed the matter with the industry minister and the marine and fisheries minister to speed up the connectivity between seaweed cultivating center and downstream industries, and to improve seaweed productivity. "These steps must be taken to support marine-based ecosystem in Maluku and to make the province a superior seaweed center in Indonesia," the minister noted. The minister also took a few minutes of his time to chat with seaweed farmers and found out that their average income was Rp5 million per month with the raw seaweed selling price of Rp14 thousand per kilogram. Further to that, he stated that the government will make every effort to improve the income of seaweed farmers. "The government will continue to help seaweed farmers improve productivity through technological approaches and superior seeds. Besides that, the government will also try to add value by building seaweed processing industries at production centers," Hatta clarified. He acknowledged the quality of the seaweed cultivated by the farmers in Southeast Maluku district and other areas in Maluku province were the best of all in the world. "Maluku has the best quality seaweed and therefore I will encourage the government to build a seaweed processing industry in the province, at least in Southeast Maluku district," Hatta promised.