Cebu Is World’s Major Seaweed Center
With a combined production capacity of 14,000 metric tons, Cebu is now the world’s major seaweed processing center, accounting more than half the world’s total capacityof 23,000 metric tons.
The three major suppliers of processed seaweed or carageenan in Cebu are CP Kelco Philippines, FMC Marine Colloids Philippines and Shemberg Marketing Corporation. In 2005, the country’s total raw and processed seaweed exports reached US$153.244 million, up from the 2004 exports of US$144.027 million.
Aside from this, the Philippines remains the world’s top producer of raw seaweed, according to SIAP president Benson U. Dakay. The country’s seaweed industry started in the Visayas with the gathering of wild seaweed in Cebu, Bohol and Leyte and exporting these unprocessed. At present, carrageenan processors and exporters reach 27 while seaweed farmers number over 100,000 families.
As of 2004, the total area planted to seaweed has reached over 58 hectares.