The Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. (PCAFI) called for the allocation of funds and the setting up of a program that would protect the country’s exports of carrageenan to the United States and Europe.
Danilo Fausto, PCAFI president, told reporters in a briefing in Quezon City last week lobby groups have claimed carrageenan extracted from seaweeds is not an organic product which may negatively affect local exports.
The US government through the National Organics Standards Board (NOSB), is currently reviewing to decide if carrageenan can remain to be classified as an organic product.
In the past, the United States Department of Agriculture voted for carrageenan to continue to be tagged as organic and defied the NOSB’s stand to remove the product from list of organic items.
Carrageenan is the main by-product of seaweeds which has multiple industrial uses including as raw material in the manufacture of food products, toothpaste and shampoo, among others.
“We currently do not have budgetary support. We should have advertising, promotion in America so we can fight in a science-based (manner.) We should fight lobby groups,” Fausto said.
PCAFI said a budget of at least P250 million must be provided for a program that would ensure the viability of the local seaweeds sector which is thriving in Mindanao.
The group said the Philippines cannot afford to lose the lucrative seaweeds, carrageenan industry as it has a potential to be a $500- million industry.
PCAFI also said experts from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry as well as the country’s agricultural attache to the US must join forces in fighting against the negative lobbying on carrageenan.
Fausto said at present, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao produces bulk of seaweeds in the Philippines.
Based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, the country produced 1.54 million metric tons (MT) of seaweed last year. Of the said volume, 66 percent or 1.02 million MT were produced from BARMM. -Jed Macapagal
