Date:03/04/2010 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2010/04/03/stories/2010040354070600.htm
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Tamil Nadu - Tuticorin
Seaweed cultivation helps in reducing impact of global warming: expert
J. Praveen Paul Joseph
Tuticorin: Seaweed cultivation reduces impact of global warming, as it has the ability to absorb carbon dioxide, according to M. Sakthivel, president, Aquaculture Foundation of India, Chennai.
Seaweeds containing 62 minerals and having medicinal values is a wonder plant of the sea.
Seaweed is presumably pervasive in the sea and it gives shelter to various species of fish and other marine living organisms.
Though the Indian Ocean is abundantly blessed with seaweed plants, the one-third of seaweed resources is available in India. There is also a wide prevalence of seaweed in the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar.
Sea-farming activities are being carried out quite well in the Palk Bay since they have rich resources and natural conditions favourable to seaweed cultivation.
The Aquaculture Foundation of India was promoting the seaweed culture by assisting the stakeholders to get bank loans, government subsidy, imparting free technology training and marketing, Dr. Sakthivel told The Hindu here on Friday.
“Since the bio-fertilizer extract from Kappaphycus seaweeds has growth-promoting hormones for plants, it is going to be a major source for bio-fertilizer production in India to facilitate organic agriculture. Bio fertilizers can be extracted from wet seaweed,” Dr. Sakthivel added.
One million tonnes of seaweed could be produced in a year and around 10, 000 families could earn their daily bread on an average.
About one thousand families are engaged in seaweed cultivation in the Palk Bay Island. Each family can earn a minimum of Rs. 500 to Rs. 1, 000 a day.
“As many as 1000 varieties of seaweed are in existence in India. Out of which, 300 varieties are in the Gulf of Mannar. Seaweed cultivation is gaining momentum in Muthiayapuram and the Hare Island in Tuticorin district and Colachel in Kanyakumari district. Thousand families between the coastal area of Mandapam and Rameshwaram have been involved in seaweed cultivation with 20, 000 rafts floating in the Palk Bay area,” he said.
“Referring to the cost value of seaweed, one tonne of wet seaweed fetches a sum of Rs. 1, 750, while dry seaweed is valued at Rs. 14, 000,” he said.
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