UNAIR NEWS – The government has identified opportunities for downstream processing of 26 commodities across sectors such as plantations, forestry, fisheries, marine resources, minerals, coal, and oil and gas. Among these, seaweed stands out as a promising candidate for development through downstream initiatives. Annur Ahadi Abdillah, S.Pi., M.Si., Ph.D., offered his insights on the potential of downstream processing to enhance the diversification of seaweed products. “The downstream policy creates opportunities to further process seaweed from raw material into semi-finished or finished products. Currently, the majority of seaweed is sold as raw material, with limited processing into higher-value products.”
Seaweed’s potential lies in its relatively high market value compared to other commodities and its versatility as a base for various products with greater economic value, including food ingredients, cosmetic components, and carrageenan.
The urgency of downstream processing is to boost the market value of commodities by advancing the processing of raw materials into higher-value goods.
Higher education institutions have significant roles to promote seaweed products, to build awareness and product diversification.
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