Seaweed Workshop 13 June 2005 Kitano Medana, Honiara Outline

Transcription

1 Seaweed Workshop 13 June 2005 Kitano Medana, Honiara Outline Introductions Objectives Agenda 1

2 Introductions Ben Ponia, SPC Dennis, ACIAR Consultant Participants Objectives To more clearly identify and evaluate marketing constraints and opportunities for seaweed in selected Pacific Island countries, including consideration of options for multi country (bilateral and/or sub-regional) cooperation in marketing and processing; To examine the production, processing, transportation and marketing options for the cultivated Kappaphycus industry in selected countries of the Pacific Community region, with a view to improving profitability and sustainability. The primary countries to be covered by the study are Fiji, Kiribati, and Solomon Islands also Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea. 2

3 Schedule of Milestones Country Reports National Workshops Kiribati (31 May) Fiji (7 June) Solomon Islands (13 June) Regional Workshop Regional Workshop Noumea (4-8 July) Consultancy Report completed Final Report (September) Agenda 1. Production 1.1 Production 2. Farming 2.1 Farm sites, farming methods, frequency of harvesting 2.2 Ownership of sites 2.3 Sources of finance for farming 2.4 Training of farmers 2.5 Training of trainers 2.6 Environmental problems /solutions in farming (weather, fish etc) 2.7 Other problems for farmers. 3

4 Agenda - continued 3. Prices 3.1 Prices to farmers (farmgate prices) 3.2 Variation of price between farming areas - transport costs 3.3 At what farmgate price do farmers abandon farming? 3.4 Advantages vs disadvantages of long term contracts 4. Marketing 4.1 Who is in marketing chain from farmer to exporter 4.2 Who pays the farmer and when 4.3 Internal shipping - companies, timetables, costs 4.4 Other costs within chain (eg cleaning, sorting, bales, loading) Requirements of overseas buyers 4.6 Overseas shipping - companies, timetables, costs 4.7 How adequate is current marketing arrangement? 5. Plans for future production 5.1 How can production be increased? 5.2 Plans of Ministry of Fisheries 5.3 What plans now? Solomon Islands Presentation - Discussion - Only Wagena producing significant quanties at present - Frequency of harvesting is 5 6 weeks - If holding longer then lose weeds because too big - Carageneen quality versus size has been verified independently is good quality in Solomon is - Ongoing dispute about moisture, impurities - Normal export relationship is 90% upfront and remainder on arrival dependent on quality does Solomon Is get it back? - Bigger harvest around December Christmas and January school fees - Planting according cash needs - Are there times when cultivation is not possible - Wagena fluctuates t depending di on wheather (rain in particular) difficulties in drying, e.g. 50% reduction last month because of rain. Can be ongoing problem through the whole year - Is there any other way to dry it? Fire? - Fish grazing (dugong, turtle) is a problem solution is to move it - Generally family involvement but occassionally will pay for additional labour not large company type arrangement 4

5 1. Production Floating rafts are in depth of 6-10 meters, - Rarumana has been successful, (RS - are harder to work), - Langalanga lagoon (Malaita) was it successful? - because substrate was sand, was suspended about 0-80 cm - if put weeds too close to surface then affected by temperature and salinity, water movement compared to other lagoons such as Lau, RS-only 2 areas in Langalanga good for farming because other areas have poor water movement, find sites where passages and currents, raft was a hinderance to boats and by sinking weeds to depth reduce sunlight and growth; However Langalanga did not produce a lot of quantity, some political, tension etc which affected this, - Shortlands have used rafts in open rough waters and when rough wheather take rafts onshore to avoid breakage, can leave it up to 2 days (shaded, wet) Ownership of sites - In Solomon Is, tribal land also owns seafront; - How is ownership provided; Each landowning group have their own committee; can also depend on who gets in first and since seaweed is new could also be case Sources of finances - Problems at present with supplying project materials because no funds for freight - Obsv. That some abuse of farming materials being onsold - Assist with start-up materials but expect them to take over afterwards - What criteria to select farmers to avoid problems? Use extension officers to assess; - People who show interest; prior knowledge not necessary will train; follow up visits dependent on resources; - Wagena experience did some community consultation first (after site visits), got planting material 2. Farming Environmental or other problems? - Some kind of monitoring may be useful to assess seasonal trends (for e.g. rain impacts); Most cyclones form south very rarely in north - Wagena has only been affected once so far; can have wind damage but could harvest plants smaller to avoid this - Same problems as other places 5

6 3. Prices 4. Marketing - - System in Solomon Islands - Current situation - Buying agent is employed by exporter; none in the buying chain between exporter and farmer; - QC, are the new licensee aim to encourage fair deal for farmers; would like to find out more about marketing chain - agent is based in village and buys seaweed as it comes in; pays in cash; - For copra government establish commodity export marketing authority, to regulate exporters; has helped reduce problems (e.g. not being paid); AW may want to avoid problems of monopoly is there a restriction on number of buyers? QC having competition will encourage farmers and exporters (better price?); RS more competition could reduce price because less profits to be shared, need a phased license share, as more production then more export licenses increased idea to issue another two licenses at 350 mt and another two at 500 mt; by end of year will have Rarumana picked up and new production sites; JH since industry is in infancy stage, exporters need to look at relationship with farmers and increase their investment in the industry e.g Coco exporters helping farmers to grow more produce, need to take stock of prospective farmers to forecast potential of industry 6