Proposal of seaweed park in TN gets a thumbs up from industry

The Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has proposed in the Finances to established up a a multi-purpose seaweed park in Tamil Nadu as section of promoting seaweed cultivation.

According to the Minister, seaweed farming is an rising sector with likely to renovate the life of coastal communities and will give substantial work and extra income.

Welcoming the initiative, A Gopalakrishnan, Director, Central Maritime Fisheries Analysis Institute, explained the proposed park could be a multi-purpose hub for a variety of economic actions similar to seaweed farming, organization progress and bio-prospecting. Presently, seaweeds are remaining cultivated by hundreds of fishermen along the Palk Bay coastline in Tamil Nadu. The proposal will enable the fisherfolk and coastal business owners in the Condition, he explained.

The commercially exploited seaweed species in India largely consist of Kappaphycus alvarezii, Gracilaria edulis, Gelidiella acerosa, Sargassum spp. and Turbinaria spp. Seaweeds are valued for professional goods this sort of as Karrageenan and Agar aside from remaining employed for the manufacturing of polysaccharides, fertilizer, sludge and other higher-benefit goods this sort of as nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals for use in opposition to numerous way of living disorders.

K Riji John, Vice-Chancellor, Kerala College of Fisheries and Ocean Scientific studies, explained that the progress of seaweed park would go a extensive way in addressing the nutritionally safety of a substantial phase of undernourished and underprivileged marginal communities.

“India remaining a tropical belt, we have a quantity of economically critical seaweed species which can be commercially exploited. The procedure of this park wants to be prolonged to Lakshadweep wherever there is higher likely for seaweed farming which is nevertheless stay so underneath explored,” he explained.

Seaweeds are storehouse of crucial amino acids, all-natural antioxidants, minerals and other micro-nutrients. Having said that, consciousness of the positive aspects on the consumption of the seaweeds are not thoroughly penetrated to our community, he included.