Over a million coastal people in Indonesia rely on income from seaweed farming, contributing to the country’s rapidly expanding seaweed industry.
Demand for the seaweed extract carrageenan, used as a gelling agent in many processed foods, has been driving the growth. Currently, Indonesia is the world’s largest carrageenan seaweed producer.
However, prices in the industry are volatile, which makes it difficult for farmers to earn a sustainable income. This can reduce production quantities and could affect government plans to expand production five-fold.
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