Sidoarjo Seaweed Farmer Cooperative Collaborates with Australian Start-Ups
The Agar Makmur Sentosa seaweed farmers` cooperative from Jabon, Sidoarjo has partnered with ULUU, an Australian start-up that produces seaweed biomaterials. The partnership agreement with the foreign investor was signed at the cooperative`s office on Saturday (25/3/2023). The cooperative`s chairman, Heri Sudarmono, said the partnership shows a mutual interest in a multi-year collaboration and a shared goal with ULUU, which is a start-up from Australia. “Gracilaria seaweed is only cultivated in three regions in Indonesia. One of them is in Jabon, Sidoarjo. ULUU has done research in Vietnam and other countries, but they chose the seaweed farmers in Jabon, Sidoarjo,” he said. He added that the partnership with Australia is a challenge and an opportunity for the seaweed farmers in the cooperative. With an area of 1,200 ha and more than 150 farmers, the cooperative is optimistic to achieve the production target of 1,000 tons of seaweed by 2024. “This is an opportunity for us. It helps our economic growth. We hope to meet the target of 1,000 tons of seaweed per year,” he said. He also said that ULUU is still doing research and waiting for the factory construction in Pasuruan to finish. “The Fisheries Department and the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries also helped us with guidance and advice on how to produce good and quality seaweed,” he said. Meanwhile, ULUU`s CEO Dr. Julia Reisser said that the MoU marks ULUU`s facility to its partners to facilitate a mobile technology application that can track the seaweed supply chain. “ULUU is an Australian start-up that produces natural materials known as PHA from seaweed, seawater, and a unique brine fermentation process. They are compostable materials that can replace plastic and improve the climate and ocean health,” she said. Julia said that the partnership is not only to get the best quality seaweed from Jabon, Sidoarjo. They also plan to build and operate a commercial factory and support the downstream program of the Indonesian government. “The cooperative can produce more than 500 tons of dry Gracilaria per month (6,000 tpa) and is strategically located 30 km from Pasuruan industrial area, where ULUU is considering to build its first commercial facility,” she said through an interpreter. She said that they are currently doing a 12-month seaweed survey, where small samples of Gracilaria will be collected every month from different locations in the cooperative`s cultivation area. “These samples will be analyzed to support the techno-economic feasibility of using Gracilaria to produce ULUU biomaterials on a commercial scale,” she said.
