Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has launched an extensive initiative to cultivate seaweed along the coastal belt of Andhra Pradesh (AP). Traditionally popular in South East Asian cuisine, seaweed is now gaining popularity among residents of AP and other parts of India.
Acknowledging the rising local demand and the pharmaceutical industry’s interest in certain seaweed types, authorities are expanding cultivation efforts. The Central government is actively promoting seaweed cultivation by providing subsidies, particularly to fisherfolk, utilizing methods such as rafts or tube-net.
A pilot project is underway at Mangamaripeta coast, near Bheemili beach, where local fisherfolk are involved in a 30-day seaweed cultivation in nets. The CMFRI scientists have identified 27 potential sites in four undivided north coastal districts, and cultivation will span 49 locations covering more than 1,200 hectares.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), the Central government has supported the establishment of approximately 10,000 seaweed culture units in AP, including 2,700 units in the Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli districts.
Seaweed, a versatile marine plant, finds applications in food, pharmaceuticals, textiles, fertilizers, cattle feed, and the biofuel industry. The most commonly cultivated species include Kappaphycus alvarezii, gracilaria, saccharina japonica, pyropia, and sargassum fusiform.
Project Manager P. Krishna, overseeing the PMMSY, stated that seaweed cultivation would employ methods such as raft cultivation using high-density polyvinyl pipes or the tube-net method. Training programs for farmers will be provided by CMFRI and PMMSY. The pilot project at Mangamaripeta beach involves 10 rafts, with an expected yield in 50 days.
