Vizhinjam gears up for red seaweed farming

With seaweed cultivation expected to usher in huge potential in the aqua culture scene, southern Kerala's Vizhinjam coast is all geared up to turn itself a major supplier of red seaweeds.

The Vizhinjam panchayat has started the cultivation of the red seaweed, Kappaphycus alvarezzi, which scientists say, have tremendous economic importance.

The panchayat, under the leadership of gram panchayat president Asuntha Mohan, has begun imparting training on commercial cultivation of the seaweeds to 60 unemployed youth, selected by Vizhinjam gram panchayat authorities. Kappaphycus alverrezi is an exotic species of red seaweed from the Philippines.

The training is part of the efforts initiated by the Women Scientist Programme of Science and Society division of the Department of Science and Technology. A pilot-scale study conducted by M S Bindu, principal investigator, Women Scientist Programme, Department of Science and Technology, has revealed the culture potential of the red algae Kappaphycus alvarezzi in the coastal waters of Vizhinjam.

According to Bindu, the project would help Indian companies to substitute costly raw material imports. The country's coastal waters have the potential to produce at least 1 million tonne of dried seaweeds and employ around 2 lakh families providing annual earnings of Rs 1 lakh per family, Bindu said.

The annual turnover of Kappaphycus cultivation alone has been estimated to be Rs 2,000 crore. Known as the medical food of the 21st century, the seaweeds find applications in the food, pharma, textile and chemical industries across the globe.

The Vizhinjam seaweed project, however, being in its infancy, cultivation on a commercial basis is expected to require more awareness on the new marine culture initiative.

According to aqua culture experts and former Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute scientists G P Kumara Swamy Achary and N Kalaiperumal, a buy-back arrangement with industry could help the project to take off in a big way.

The authorities are also planning to rope in the efforts of aqua culture scientists, local self government bodies, department of Fisheries, Agency for Development of Aquaculture in Kerala and the like, to hold surveys, awareness campaigns and training in related areas at the state-level.