Antara News, Sat, February 26 2011
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Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Six ministries have agreed to intensify cultivation and production of seaweed as part of efforts to boost the economies of seven least developed provinces, an official said.
"The Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry will intensify production of seaweed in cooperation with five other ministries, namely the Least Regional Development Ministry, the Industry Ministry, the Trade Ministry, the Cooperatives and Small-Medium-Scale Ministry and the Investment Coordinating Board," Head of the marine affairs and fisheries ministry`s statistical data and information division said in a press statement here, Friday.
The joint agreement among the six ministries was aimed at accelerating the economic development of the people in the disadvantaged regions in seven provinces - namely South Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, Maluku, North Maluku, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), and East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).
The agreement included activities in training, assistance, technical guidance, business sector development, the creation of conducive business climate, the promotion facility promotion, and the seaweed cultivation marketing domestically and overseas.
The cooperation in the seaweed cultivation in the seven provinces would be effective for four years.
According to the ministry`s data, the seaweed production in 2010 reached 3.082 million tons, up from 2.574 million tons in 2009.
The productions from 2011 to 2014 are expected to reach 3.504 million tons, 5.1 million tons, 7.5 million tons, and 10 million tons respectively.
Indonesia is striving to produce 10 million tons of seaweed per by 2015, making it the number one producing country, replacing the Philippines.
Minister Fadel Muhammad said when speaking in the Third Seaweed International Business Forum and Exhibition (Seabfex) in Surabaya, East Java, July 2010 that in the next two years the target might partly be achieved especially in view of the vast seaweed cultivating grounds in Indonesia`s eastern parts, like East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), South Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, Maluku, and North Maluku.
Editor: AA Ariwibowo
