Monday, July 10, 2006
100-M seaweed processing plant now in operation
by Bob @ 6:07 pm. Filed under News, Food
Davao City (5 January) — A P100 million seaweed processing plant started its operation last December primarily to help the marginalized fisherfolk.
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) regional director Engr. Merly Cruz in an interview said the first seaweed processing plant located in Toril, Davao City is owned by businessman Michael Ang whose main intention is to buy the produce of the farmers.
She said the plant capacity is at 1,000 metric tons but since there is not enough seaweeds it only gets ten percent of the needed supply at present.
The Marson’s Seaweed processing plant gets its supply from other sources but mostly from the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Cruz said with the facility now available in the region, they are working for the opening of more seaweeds farm.
She said on the overall, only about 200 households are into seaweeds farming even as she said that with the concerted efforts of other concerned government agencies they could entice 800 more households to farm seaweeds.
Seaweeds farming is a family work and could be a part-time job for three in the family that could bring in income between P15,000 to P30,000 monthly.
As far as the Marsons Seaweeds processing plant is concerned, Cruz said they asked the DTI in the development of supply.
Cruz said a start up capital for one-fourth hectare is between P70,000 to P100,000 and could generate one metric tons of seaweeds monthly.
“We need some 250 hectares to cover the requirement and seaweed,” she said.
Farming is already present in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur and in Davao Oriental and the Samal Island,” she said.
Cruz said the demand for the product is high in the international market but our exporters have to compete with China because they are selling the product at a much cheaper cost.
She said the only way to counter this is to add value to the product although she said that they could not prevent other producers to sell direct to China.
“It is surprising why China tops the market for seaweeds but we discovered that China is also sourcing their supply from the Philippines and Indonesia,” she said.
“The only way to have an edge over China is to add value to the export product and not just sell it as raw or dried chips but one that is processed and ready for use”, Cruz further said. (PIA/pdbanzon)
http://www.mindanao.com/blog/?p=652
Davao City (5 January) — A P100 million seaweed processing plant started its operation last December primarily to help the marginalized fisherfolk.
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) regional director Engr. Merly Cruz in an interview said the first seaweed processing plant located in Toril, Davao City is owned by businessman Michael Ang whose main intention is to buy the produce of the farmers.
She said the plant capacity is at 1,000 metric tons but since there is not enough seaweeds it only gets ten percent of the needed supply at present.
The Marson’s Seaweed processing plant gets its supply from other sources but mostly from the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Cruz said with the facility now available in the region, they are working for the opening of more seaweeds farm.
She said on the overall, only about 200 households are into seaweeds farming even as she said that with the concerted efforts of other concerned government agencies they could entice 800 more households to farm seaweeds.
Seaweeds farming is a family work and could be a part-time job for three in the family that could bring in income between P15,000 to P30,000 monthly.
As far as the Marsons Seaweeds processing plant is concerned, Cruz said they asked the DTI in the development of supply.
Cruz said a start up capital for one-fourth hectare is between P70,000 to P100,000 and could generate one metric tons of seaweeds monthly.
“We need some 250 hectares to cover the requirement and seaweed,” she said.
Farming is already present in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur and in Davao Oriental and the Samal Island,” she said.
Cruz said the demand for the product is high in the international market but our exporters have to compete with China because they are selling the product at a much cheaper cost.
She said the only way to counter this is to add value to the product although she said that they could not prevent other producers to sell direct to China.
“It is surprising why China tops the market for seaweeds but we discovered that China is also sourcing their supply from the Philippines and Indonesia,” she said.
“The only way to have an edge over China is to add value to the export product and not just sell it as raw or dried chips but one that is processed and ready for use”, Cruz further said. (PIA/pdbanzon)
http://www.mindanao.com/blog/?p=652
# posted by GeorgeM @ 11:32 PM 
