5,000 seaweed farmers eyed for P200-M agri program

Seaweed farmers—5,000 of them—in Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi will be mobilized to reduce the country’s demand for imported seaweed through a P200 million program of the Department of Agriculture.   "This is one of the major focus now of the government – to eliminate seaweed imports. We are rolling out an aggressive seaweed farming program," Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said.   He added that the goal is to eliminate the need to import 80,000 to 100,000 metric tons of seaweed mostly from Indonesia.   Through the program, credit and planting materials will be provided to the seaweed farmers, who will be organized into cooperatives.   Alcala also said the DA will talk with seaweed processors to convince them to buy the farmers’ harvest. — PSS/ELR, GMA News