By: Saiful*)
Makassar – The Indonesian Seaweed Association (ARLI) and the Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines (SIAP) are joining hands to develop seaweed technology in Indonesia.
“The downstream industry of seaweed needs research and development. The cooperation with Philippines is an effort to improve the industry,” Chairperson of ARLI Farid Widodo Ma`ruf remarked here on Thursday.
According to Farid, Indonesia currently exports about 10 thousand tons of seaweed to Philippines, while the export target to this country is 50 thousand tons.
Maximo Ricohermoso, the chairperson of SIAP, hoped that the cooperation will be optimal and beneficial for all the stakeholders, especially the seaweed farmers.
“In addition to supply, the cooperation also covers technical program, investment, and promotion,” he noted.
He emphasized the all-inclusive seaweed industry can be advantageous to all parties.
“With the ASEAN Economic Community 2015, I hope that the cooperation will be easily established and maintained, and becomes stronger and stronger,” Maximo added.
*) The Author Is Sulawesi Regional Contributor
