98% Increase Compared to Last Year... Record Highest Auction Price Ever
Jindo-gun, Jeollanam-do, a seaweed industry promotion zone, recorded 228.4 billion KRW in seaweed auction sales in 2024.
According to the county on the 8th, Jindo-gun, which has the nation's largest seaweed farms with 16,128 hectares and 235,658 rafts, produced 104,378 tons this year, a 10% increase from 95,000 tons last year, and the auction sales also set a record high at 228.4 billion KRW, a 98% increase from 115.4 billion KRW last year.
The county cited three main reasons for the significant increase in seaweed production this year: a sharp rise in seaweed exports leading to reduced inventory rates, a low initial occurrence rate of laver rot during seed attachment (chaemyo), and stable oceanic conditions.
Seaweed from Jindo, produced in clean offshore waters with cold currents and no red tides, is rich in minerals and calcium and is popular among consumers as a black food that helps detoxify the body and prevent osteoporosis.
Jindo-gun invests 10.7 billion KRW annually in 14 projects, including supplying seaweed activators and supporting frozen seaweed net facilities, to produce high-quality seaweed and create a stable aquaculture environment.
Especially this year, after being designated as a seaweed industry promotion zone, Jindo-gun secured an additional 5 billion KRW in project funds and is focusing all administrative efforts on sustainable future development of the seaweed industry and increasing fishermen's income.
Kim Hee-su, the county governor, said, “With the establishment of the ‘Regional Customized Fisheries Seed Commercialization Center,’ selected as a public project last November, we will distribute seaweed seeds suitable for the Jindo waters to fishermen and provide unwavering support to significantly contribute to improving the quality of our county’s seaweed and increasing fishermen’s income, thereby boosting the local economy.”
Jindo = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Oh Seung-geun just8440@asiae.co.kr
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