Agricultural Technology

Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSMCRI) has been engaged in seaweed related R&D work for many decades and several small scale industries manufacturing agar and alginate came up in the country with the technical support provided by this institute. Technology for liquid seaweed fertilizer (LSF) based on Sargassum was also developed by CSMCRI and licensed to a number of industries. Annual harvest of alginophytes (Sargassum and Turbinaria) is around 15,000 tons dry weight and that of agarophytes (Gracilaria and Gelidiella) is around 10,000 tons dry weight. However, all of the work until recently has been with harvest of naturally occurring seaweeds, which has limited the scope and impact of seaweed farming