REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Move in the United States to exclude seaweed from the list of organic foodstuff would have no much effect on Indonesia's exports of that commodity, Marine and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said.

"Our exports of seaweed to the United States are small. More than 90 percent of our seaweed production is exported to China," Susie said here on Friday.

Susi's statement contradicted ones made earlier by the Indonesian Association of Seaweed (ARLI) and the trade ministry. On Thursday, ARLI expressed great concern with seaweed delisting move in the United States. A number of related agencies in the United States are discussing a petition called for the ban on use carrageenan as a food additive made of seaweed, ARLI chairman Safari Azis said.

"The threat is serious as the petition is based on research and has gone through scientific convention and wide publication, Safari said.

He said a number of scientists and non governmental organizations as well as academicians have urged the U.S. National Organic Standard Body ((NOSB) for the "Carrageenan" delisting. He said Indonesia is the largest supplier of seaweed to the world market accounting for 50 percent of the world exports with main export destination China, the Philippines and Chile.

He said Indonesia has not exported fresh seaweed to the United States but that country has imported large quantity of processed seaweed from processing countries.

Earlier, the Trade Ministry expressed similar concern with the delisting move in the United State. It is feared that seaweed is considered not to meet the criteria of organic foodstuff, the Director General of Foreign Trade Dody Edward said here earlier.

The delisting move is potential to result in a decline in Indonesia's export of that commodity, Dody said in a statement. He said Indonesia has to persuade the United States to drop the plan as it is feared to set a precedent for other countries of export destination such as the European Union.

Indonesia could suffered a potential loss of US$ 160.4 million in seaweed exports a year if all countries of destination followed the U.S. lead, he said. Seaweed is a prime mover of the economy of Indonesian coastal people, he said, adding Indonesia is the world's largest producer of seaweed.

Business in that sector provides many jobs for people living in coastal areas especially in the outermost small islands of the country. Seaweed has been used as feed stock for carrageenan and gelatin.

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