When I started looking at the business of cultivated kelps in the US 3 years ago, demand was the big issue. Buyers didn’t know what it was, what to do with it, or how to integrate it into their products (B2B) or lives (B2C). And if they did, they thought it was too expensive to use a lot of it. So homegrown seaweeds remained a niche product, profitability a distant prospect.
This is a great summary of the situation, Steven. It seems things are destined for slow, steady growth given the interdependence of seed availability, farm capacity, processing capacity, and markets. A rapid expansion of one of these building blocks is possible, but not economical, so all have to grow together.
Not mentioned was the farm leasing conundrum and the logjams that have been experienced in nearly all permitting jurisdictions. In order to expand production, growers may find it easier to amend existing leases rather than establishing new acreage. New farm equipment designs with closely spaced, pretensioned growlines can expand a farm’s potential tenfold while providing reduced capital costs per foot of growline.
I don't see seaweed farming being sustainable as human food ingredient. OK, in Asia. But not here.
Which leaves where will the demand come from? Nutraceuticals, biostimulants, animal feed additives, bioplastics?
This is a great summary of the situation, Steven. It seems things are destined for slow, steady growth given the interdependence of seed availability, farm capacity, processing capacity, and markets. A rapid expansion of one of these building blocks is possible, but not economical, so all have to grow together.
Not mentioned was the farm leasing conundrum and the logjams that have been experienced in nearly all permitting jurisdictions. In order to expand production, growers may find it easier to amend existing leases rather than establishing new acreage. New farm equipment designs with closely spaced, pretensioned growlines can expand a farm’s potential tenfold while providing reduced capital costs per foot of growline.