The Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has proposed in the Spending budget to established up a a multi-purpose seaweed park in Tamil Nadu as component of advertising and marketing seaweed cultivation.
According to the Minister, seaweed farming is an rising sector with probable to renovate the lives of coastal communities and will deliver substantial work and further revenue.
Welcoming the initiative, A Gopalakrishnan, Director, Central Marine Fisheries Investigation Institute, mentioned the proposed park could be a multi-purpose hub for a variety of financial functions associated to seaweed farming, company enhancement and bio-prospecting. Presently, seaweeds are staying cultivated by hundreds of fishermen along the Palk Bay coast in Tamil Nadu. The proposal will enable the fisherfolk and coastal entrepreneurs in the Point out, he mentioned.
The commercially exploited seaweed species in India primarily include things like Kappaphycus alvarezii, Gracilaria edulis, Gelidiella acerosa, Sargassum spp. and Turbinaria spp. Seaweeds are valued for commercial solutions such as Karrageenan and Agar besides staying used for the creation of polysaccharides, fertilizer, sludge and other higher-value solutions such as nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals for use towards various life-style disorders.
K Riji John, Vice-Chancellor, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Scientific tests, mentioned that the enhancement of seaweed park would go a long way in addressing the nutritionally stability of a substantial phase of undernourished and underprivileged marginal communities.
“India staying a tropical belt, we have a amount of economically important seaweed species which can be commercially exploited. The operation of this park needs to be extended to Lakshadweep the place there is higher probable for seaweed farming which is even now continue being so underneath explored,” he mentioned.
Seaweeds are storehouse of essential amino acids, normal anti-oxidants, minerals and other micro-nutrients. Even so, consciousness of the strengths on the intake of the seaweeds are not adequately penetrated to our neighborhood, he added.