Indonesia inviting foreign investment to develop seaweed potential

"Indonesia has a seaweed development potential of 222,180 hectares but only 20 percent or 1,110,900 hectares of the potential has so far been realized with Rp68.2 million spent on development of every heactare," he said.

The country produced 1,079,850 tons of seaweed in 2006, up from 910,636 tons in 2005.

Numberi expressed hope Indonesia could produce at least 1.9 million tons of seaweed in 2009.

"Therefore, Indonesia needs to develop 25,000 more hectares and Rp800 billion in fresh investment to reach the target in 2009," he told the three-day expo which was being participated in by 150 businessmen from foreign countries.