Acting Director General for Marine and Fishery Product Competitiveness Machmud told reporters that seaweed drew the highest interest because of its wide applications in food and non-food industries.
He said Dutch investors also expressed interest in developing seaweed-related projects during the event.
Machmud added that downstream seaweed processing remains promising, citing growing demand for derivative products such as seaweed-based straws that can replace plastic.
Investor attention also extended to the salt industry, driven by the government’s target of achieving salt self-sufficiency by 2027.
The ministry has designated seaweed as a priority commodity. Nono Hartanto, Director of Seaweed at the Directorate General of Aquaculture Fisheries, projected global demand could reach 40–43 million tonnes by 2029.
He said ready-to-eat food will remain the largest market, while demand for seaweed in aquaculture feed and other uses is expected to rise.
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Translator: Aji Cakti, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Anton Santoso
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