SUMMARY OF INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTION AND DEMAND FOR SEAWEED COLLOIDS

DAVID JAMES

Senior Fishery Industry Officer
Fish Utilization and Marketing Service
FAO Rome

Information on production of seaweeds and the quantity of products manufactured from them is difficult to obtain with any level of accuracy. There is a variety of reasons for this, including the failure of governments to collect accurate data, lack of interaction between government and industry, commercial secrecy, and others. Almost everyone would benefit from improved production and trade information. Perhaps the workshop can contribute to an improvement in the accuracy of the statistical data such as that reported in the FAO Yearbook of Fishery Statistics. It should be noted, however, that this is historical data and would need to be supplemented by more precise market information such as could be supplied by INFOFISH.

The following brief review is based on information obtained from discussions with industry, and the assistance of Dr. D.J. McHugh with the tabulated data is gratefully acknowledged. Table 1–3 will be published in a forthcoming review (Worldwide distribution of commercial seaweed resources, J. Appl. Phycology. In press).

Estimates of the 1989 production of phycocolloids are given below.

The demand for phycocolloids is strong and overall demand is expected to increase by up to 10 percent of the next few years.

Alginate

Demand is strong and 1989 production is estimated at 2,900 t, allowing 8,000 for China which may be an underestimate (of up to 2,000 t). Table 1 shows the sources.

Carrageenan

Production in 1989 was probably about 11,500 t of refined carrageenan but, as it is not traded in the farm, the total together with blending materials was about 17,000 t. The Philippines estimates of seaweed flow production are 9,000+ for the period. Table 2 gives sources of raw material while Tables 4, 5 and 6 give supplementary information and projections for carrageenan growth. Future production of seaweed flour will be influenced by the USFDA ruling to classify it as a permitted food additive.

Following a period of declining demand for carrageenan there is now strong growth, anticipated at over 10 percent a year. Although production can be increased by 10–15 percent in the short term, present manufacturing capacity will be fully utilized. Therefore after 1992 (approx) production will not meet demand. This is reflected in increased raw material prices c.f. Europe from US$ 350/t in 1987 to over US$ 700/t in 1990.

Agar

Over the last few years agar production remained unchanged at between 6,600– 7,000 t/yr. However, due to the strong yen, Japanese production and export have declined while Chile and China have increased production to fill the gap. Raw material production was probably about 51,000 t in 1989 (10% loss 15% yield). Table 3 indicates species and harvesting areas.

Table 1. Seaweeds for alginate production - quantity harvest in dry tons

Table 2. Seaweeds for carrageenan production-quantity harvested in dry tons

Table 3. Seaweeds for agar production-quantity harvested in dry tons.

(G) is Gelidiella,    (P) is Pterocladia.

Table 4. Carrageenan and Seaweed Flour - production, demand and price.

Table 5. Eucheuma cottonii - production, demand and price.

Table 6. Eucheuma spinosum - production, demand and price.

Table 7. Minimum daily wage for various countries.