NTT Highlights Salt, Seaweed Potential at Labuan Bajo Trilateral Meeting

Labuan Bajo — East Nusa Tenggara promoted salt and seaweed investment opportunities to Australia and Timor-Leste at a trilateral economic cooperation meeting in Labuan Bajo on 11-13 April 2018, according to Indonesia’s transport ministry event schedule and reporting from local and national media.

The meeting was listed as an Intersession Senior Official Meeting of the Trilateral Economic Cooperation Indonesia-Timor Leste-Australia, held in Labuan Bajo, NTT, on 11-13 April 2018, according to a ministry document. A separate report said provincial officials used the forum to highlight marine business potential, including salt and seaweed.

In the proposal, provincial maritime and fisheries officials cited 60,000 hectares for salt farming and 51,870 hectares for seaweed cultivation, according to reporting that quoted then provincial maritime and fisheries chief Ganef Wurgiyanto. The figures were presented as potential areas, not as a confirmed tally of active farms.

The seaweed figure was linked to production in nine districts: Kupang, Sabu Raijua, Rote Ndao, Alor, Lembata, East Flores, Sikka, East Sumba and West Manggarai. The report named Eucheuma cottonii and Gracilaria as the main varieties.

Besides marine products, the trilateral meeting also discussed cooperation in education, health, transportation and tourism, according to the meeting coverage. No investment commitment by Australia or Timor-Leste was reported.

What the province said

NTT framed the offer as a cross-border opportunity for the two neighboring countries, with its geographic position near Australia and Timor-Leste presented as an advantage. The figures cited in the presentation described scale and location, but not the status of permits, infrastructure or commercial output.

The salt and seaweed numbers were not accompanied in the reports by breakdowns of currently cultivated land, survey methodology, or land and coastal tenure status. The reporting also did not give production volumes, export values or investor terms.

Seaweed footprint

The seaweed cultivation area cited by the province was 51,870 hectares, spread across nine districts. The report identified Kupang, Sabu Raijua and Rote Ndao in West Timor and Alor, Lembata, East Flores, Sikka, East Sumba and West Manggarai across the province.

According to the report, the main species were Eucheuma cottonii and Gracilaria. No additional figures on annual harvest, farm-gate prices or processing capacity were provided in the reporting.

The meeting date in the coverage was 12 April 2018, while the ministry schedule placed the trilateral economic meeting over 11-13 April 2018 in Labuan Bajo. Taken together, the sources support the date and location of the event, as well as the province’s investment pitch.

Figures cited by the province

• Salt farming area: 60,000 hectares
• Seaweed cultivation area: 51,870 hectares
• Seaweed-producing districts named: nine

Sources

• Direktorat Jenderal Perhubungan Darat, Ministry of Transportation
• The Jakarta Post