A report by Primus Partners titled “Seaweed farming can touch a million lives” has said India’s seaweed sector, which is currently valued at ₹200 crore, could surge to ₹3,277 crore within the next decade, positively impacting 1.6 million lives and creating sustainable livelihoods for 4 lakh families.
Stating that India’s vast coastline and regions such as Lakshadweep and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands offer untapped opportunities for large-scale seaweed farming, it said India currently contributes less than 1 per cent to global seaweed production despite its potential.
Rising demand
With rising demand across industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and agriculture, seaweed farming is poised to become a key driver of India’s blue economy. Key challenges, including inconsistent seed quality, logistical bottlenecks, and limited market linkages, hinder the sector’s growth.
The report said seaweed farming could generate significant revenue, with farmers earning up to ₹13.28 lakh per hectare annually from high-value species like Kappaphycus alvarezii.
Buyers face issues such as inconsistent supply, poor logistics, and lack of contract farming policies, leading to a reliance on imported seaweed. Coastal farmers struggle with low awareness of farming techniques, environmental risks, and weak market linkages, limiting their adoption of seaweed farming, it said.
The Centre has taken several steps to promote seaweed farming, including budget allocations under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and initiatives to provide Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) and Mudra loans to farmers.
Seed banks
However, the report emphasised the need for a concrete roadmap focusing on areas such as infrastructure development, policy support and market access.
The roadmap stressed the need to establish onshore and offshore seed banks, micropropagation facilities, and processing units near cultivation hubs.
It suggested that land leasing and contract farming policies be streamlined to ensure stable incomes for farmers and reliable supply chains for buyers. It also highlighted the need to encourage private investments through fiscal incentives and public-private partnerships to strengthen the seaweed value chain.
Highlighting the potential of Lakshadweep, Stefan Kraan, Chief Scientific Officer of TSC-Purple Pvt. Ltd, Tuticorin, said seaweed production per unit of seeds has reached up to 15X in some regions.
Emphasising the need to resolve concerns around Kappaphycus, Abhiram Seth, Managing Director of Aquaagri Processing Pvt Ltd, said: “If the perception issue of Kappaphycus can be solved, seaweed farming can provide livelihood to a million lives.”
Ramakrishnan M, MD of Primus Partners and author of the report, said seaweed farming represents a tidal shift in sustainable agriculture, promising not only to bolster India’s blue economy but to fundamentally transform coastal livelihoods. “By embracing this untapped resource, we are paving a path towards economic resilience and environmental stewardship for millions,” he said.
Primus Partners Pvt Ltd is a management consulting firm based in New Delhi.
