UP Professor Emeritus "Philippines Overtaken by Indonesia in Seaweed Farming"

From Malaya

"We're lagging behind because we're working with only one or two varieties," said Dr. Gavino C. Trono, a marine scientist and professor emeritus at the University of the Philippines.

"We should diversify, expand to other species and varieties with potential for high-value products," he said. "If not, we are overtaken easily because of our limited space relative to that of Indonesia."

"We must also ensure that farmers who use the technology don't lose money," Trono said in a recent industry roundtable discussion convened by the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST).

The industry should look at labor rates, said former Science Secretary Ceferino Follosco, noting that wages in Indonesia are much lower than those in the Philippines.

From: http://ping.fm/zxWcg