NEW DELHI: In a significant move to revolutionise the seaweed industry, the Union Government has notified the ‘Guidelines for Import of Live Seaweeds into India’ to bolster the development of seaweed enterprises in coastal states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and others. The import permit is to be issued within four weeks of approval.Seaweeds are known for their medicinal properties with manifold nutritional value. In developed countries, it is in high demand as it is now known as the ‘medicinal food of the 21st Century’. Seaweeds are being used for making pharmaceutical capsules for the treatment of goitre, cancer, bone-replacement therapy and cardiovascular surgeries.The new guidelines will facilitate the import of high-quality seed materials or germplasm from abroad, enabling domestic multiplication and ensuring farmers have access to quality seed stock. At the same time, the new guideline will uphold environmental protection and biosecurity concerns at the core of all actions.Currently, the growth of seaweed enterprises in India faces the challenge of seed availability in sufficient quantity for the commercially valuable species, and quality degradation in the seed materials of Kappaphycus, the most commonly farmed seaweed species.As a result, India’s contribution to the world’s seaweed production is minuscule. According to ICAR, India produced only 34,000 tonnes (in 2021) which is only 0.01% of the world production and 2.5% of the actual production.As per the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) report, India has the potential to produce around 9.7 million tonnes (MT) of seaweeds in 342 identified potential sites.The guidelines outline a process for importing live seaweed, ensuring transparency and accountability, strict quarantine procedures to prevent introduction of pests and diseases, risk assessment to identify potential biosecurity concerns and post-import monitoring for strengthening ongoing monitoring and risk assessment.It will further encourage responsible cultivation of seaweed, ensuring environmental sustainability and economic growth.Moreover, the import of new seaweed strains will stimulate research and development, leading to enhanced production of a variety of seaweed species such as red, brown and green algae.
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