Department of Fisheries accelerates seaweed production, positioning it as “food of the future”

Thitiporn Laoprasert, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Fisheries, revealed that the department is implementing policies to drive the agricultural sector through the BCG (Bio-Circular-Green Economy) model, aligning with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As part of this initiative, the department is actively promoting the production and processing of seaweed, recognized as a “food of the future”, in response to growing consumer demand and insufficient supply in the market.

Thitiporn pointed out that seaweed offers diverse applications across the entire value chain — including food production, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, animal feed, and fertilizers. Seaweed cultivation in Thailand has seen a rapid growth, with production in 2024 reached 1,031 tonnes, with a market value exceeding 43.3 million baht.

To support this effort, the department has collaborated with the Agricultural Research Development Agency (ARDA), the Office of the Royal Development Projects Board (ORDPB), and various academic institutions from both the public and private sectors. The goal is to promote research and education, equipping farmers with the knowledge to cultivate and process different types of seaweed, such as sea lettuce (Ulva) and sea grapes (Caulerpa).

These efforts are being carried out under the supervision of the Marine Aquaculture Research and Development Division and the Aquatic Animal Industry Technology Research and Development Division of the Department of Fisheries, in coordination with local agencies in several provinces — including Chanthaburi, Phetchaburi, Phang Nga, Krabi, and Phuket.

The Chanthraburi @Paknam Laem Sing Community Enterprise Group in Chanthaburi province, led by group president Suphida Linthong, is one of the successful farming collectives cultivating and processing sea lettuce and sea grapes. Suphida shared that the group received extensive knowledge transfer in seaweed cultivation and processing from the Kung Kraben Bay Royal Development Study Center in Chanthaburi. They have since developed a variety of value-added products based on market demand, spanning both food and cosmetic categories, with more than 10 product types including dried seaweed, sea lettuce noodles, sea lettuce vegetable rolls, sea lettuce pasta, facial serum, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, and body lotion containing sea lettuce extract.

The group has received strong support from the Department of Fisheries and the ORDPB, enabling them to become the first in Thailand to receive FDA approval for all their products. Their products are currently available at Siripattanaphan Shop inside the Kung Kraben Bay Study Center and at the Fisherman Shop @Bangkhen. The group is also in the process of registering patents with the Department of Intellectual Property, Ministry of Commerce.

This initiative has generated several million baht per year in circular economic value within the community, providing stable, sustainable livelihoods. They also plan to expand into international export markets in the future.

In light of this success, the Department of Fisheries has endorsed the Chanthraburi @Paknam Laem Sing Community Enterprise Group as a national model for high-potential seaweed production and processing, aiming to replicate the model in other areas. The department is also conducting training programs to help farmers achieve cultivation standards and produce a wide range of seaweed-based products. Furthermore, the initiative encourages farmers to form cooperatives and community enterprises to strengthen careers, generate income, build the economy, and improve the quality of life in a sustainable way.

Moving forward, the department plans to expand similar models to other types of aquatic products under the BCG economic model, using seaweed as a flagship model to drive future growth.