Pakistan’s Blue Economy: Unlocking Seaweed Potential

When discussing Pakistan's economy, attention usually centers on textiles, agriculture, or remittances. Rarely does the conversation highlight the untapped potential of the blue economy, the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth and livelihoods. With a 1,050 km coastline along the Arabian Sea and an Exclusive Economic Zone covering nearly 290,000 square kilometers, Pakistan possesses a wealth of marine resources. Yet one of the most promising, seaweed, remains critically underexplored.

Often dismissed as slimy waste washed up on beaches, seaweed is in fact one of the most versatile and valuable bio-resources in the world. Globally, it underpins multi-billion-dollar industries, spanning food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agriculture, and renewable energy. In East Asian countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea, seaweed cultivation has become a thriving sector, supporting coastal livelihoods while generating exports and cutting-edge innovations. For example, seaweed extracts are used in everything from sushi wraps and nutritional supplements to natural fertilizers and biodegradable packaging.

In Pakistan, however, seaweed resources remain largely unharvested, with little research, investment, or policy support directed toward their utilization. This represents a lost opportunity not only for economic diversification but also for sustainable development. Seaweed farming could provide coastal communities with alternative incomes, reduce pressure on overfished stocks, and contribute to climate resilience by absorbing carbon dioxide and improving marine biodiversity. Moreover, Pakistan’s strategic location gives it access to regional markets in the Middle East and South Asia, where demand for seaweed-based products is rising rapidly.

Recognizing seaweed as more than “beach waste” requires a national shift in perspective. With targeted investment, training, and policy incentives, Pakistan could transform its overlooked seaweed reserves into a vibrant sector of the blue economy, unlocking new jobs, boosting exports, and supporting environmental sustainability.

Seaweed and Its Global Significance

Seaweeds, also known as macroalgae, are broadly classified into three major categories: brown (Phaeophyceae), red (Rhodophyta), and green (Chlorophyta). Each variety has distinct biological properties and commercial applications, making them central to both ecological health and global industries. Ecologically, seaweed is indispensable to marine ecosystems. They provide shelter and breeding grounds for fish and other aquatic organisms, produce significant amounts of oxygen through photosynthesis, and play a crucial role in sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Their capacity to capture carbon makes them increasingly recognized as a natural ally in climate change mitigation, alongside their contribution to sustaining biodiversity in coastal regions.

Economically, seaweed is no less important. The global seaweed market was valued at USD 17.59 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.7% between 2023 and 2030, potentially surpassing USD 30 billion by 2030 (Grand View Research, 2023). This rapid expansion reflects the rising global interest in sustainable, natural, and plant-based solutions. Demand spans multiple industries from food and pharmaceuticals to cosmetics, agriculture, and renewable energy. Seaweed extracts such as carrageenan, agar, and alginate are now widely used as gelling, stabilizing, and thickening agents in processed foods, while bioactive compounds derived from seaweed are gaining traction in nutraceuticals and skincare.

Asia-Pacific dominates seaweed production and consumption, with China, Indonesia, and South Korea at the forefront. For example, Indonesia produces over 9 million metric tons annually, sustaining the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of coastal households (FAO, 2022). This success story demonstrates how seaweed cultivation can serve as a dual engine for economic development and environmental stewardship. With rising global demand, seaweed is no longer a niche commodity but a strategic resource shaping the future of food security, green industries, and climate resilience.

Pakistan’s Untapped Potential

Pakistan is far from lacking in marine resources. Its 1,050 km coastline along the Arabian Sea harbors a remarkable diversity of seaweeds, with researchers documenting more than 200 species (Amir et al., 2021). These include commercially valuable varieties such as Gracilaria, widely used for agar extraction; Sargassum, important in pharmaceuticals, biofertilizers, and alginates; and Ulva, known for its applications in food, feed, and cosmetics. Abundant growth is observed in coastal regions like Manora and Paradise Point near Karachi, as well as the rocky shores of Balochistan, particularly around Sonmiani Bay and Gwadar. This natural wealth positions Pakistan to participate meaningfully in the expanding global seaweed economy.

Yet despite this potential, seaweed remains one of the country’s most underutilized marine resources. The sector has received minimal policy attention, and commercial cultivation is virtually absent. According to the International Trade Centre (2023), Pakistan’s exports of aquatic plants, primarily seaweed, stood at only about USD 2.1 million in 2022. While this reflects a modest rise compared to earlier years, it remains negligible when contrasted with regional competitors like Indonesia, which generates billions annually from seaweed exports. The stark difference lies not only in scale but also in value addition.

Most of Pakistan’s limited exports are raw, unprocessed seaweed, shipped without significant transformation into high-value products. This approach leaves the country capturing only a sliver of the global value chain, while others profit from processing seaweed into carrageenan, alginates, biofertilizers, nutraceuticals, and even biofuels. By failing to move beyond raw exports, Pakistan misses out on creating jobs, boosting coastal incomes, and strengthening its foreign exchange earnings. With proper investment in aquaculture, processing facilities, and training, Pakistan could unlock the immense economic, nutritional, and environmental benefits of its coastal bounty, turning seaweed into a cornerstone of its blue economy.

The Multifaceted Uses of Seaweed

Seaweed’s versatility makes it one of the most promising resources for Pakistan’s future, with applications that cut across food security, health, agriculture, industry, and renewable energy. Its nutritional value is particularly striking. Rich in iodine, vitamins A, B, C, and E, as well as protein and essential minerals, seaweed offers a low-cost way to address widespread micronutrient deficiencies in Pakistan. Beyond health supplements, it can be creatively incorporated into traditional foods such as samosas, pakoras, or even baked goods, providing affordable pathways to improve community-level nutrition security.

In pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, seaweed holds equally transformative potential. Compounds extracted from local species possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-viral properties. Research by Shameel (2019) has already pointed to applications for skin care, including moisturizing, anti-aging, and UV-protection products. Developing such industries locally could open high-value export markets while also reducing dependence on imported cosmetic ingredients.

Agriculture, Pakistan’s economic backbone, could also benefit immensely. Seaweed-based bio-stimulants are proven to enhance crop yields, improve soil fertility, and boost resilience to drought and salinity, an urgent need in a country facing water scarcity and climate stress. Using seaweed extracts as organic fertilizers can also reduce dependence on expensive chemical inputs, lowering production costs for farmers.

The industrial uses are equally significant. Seaweed provides agar, carrageenan, and alginates, which are essential gelling and stabilizing agents in global food and pharmaceutical industries. Pakistan currently imports these products, but with local production, it could become a supplier instead. Moreover, seaweed offers exciting prospects for renewable energy as a sustainable feedstock for biofuels. Unlike crops grown on arable land, seaweed does not compete with food production, making it a cleaner and more sustainable option for energy diversification.

Challenges Holding Pakistan Back

Despite its rich coastal biodiversity and natural potential, Pakistan has yet to harness seaweed as a driver of economic growth. Several interconnected barriers continue to impede progress. The most fundamental challenge is the absence of policy and strategic focus. Seaweed is almost invisible in national economic and agricultural agendas, and there is no regulatory framework or incentive structure to encourage systematic cultivation, processing, or export (WWF-Pakistan, 2021). This policy vacuum has left the sector fragmented and overlooked.

Research and Development (R&D) is another critical bottleneck. While institutions such as the University of Karachi and SUPARCO have conducted taxonomic surveys and ecological assessments, these efforts remain academic rather than commercial. There is little focus on applied research into cultivation methods, modern processing technologies, or the development of value-added products. As a result, Pakistan lags far behind countries like Indonesia or South Korea, where R&D underpins thriving seaweed industries.

The lack of organized cultivation further exacerbates the problem. Seaweed in Pakistan is still harvested from the wild, often unsustainably, leading to inconsistent supply and environmental degradation. The infrastructure and technical knowledge required for aquaculture-based production are virtually non-existent, leaving the sector vulnerable and unscalable.

Compounding these issues is low awareness and investment. For most entrepreneurs, seaweed remains an alien concept. Its diverse commercial uses, from bio-stimulants to nutraceuticals, are largely unknown, meaning capital flows into higher-value industries are scarce. Without targeted promotion, potential investors fail to see seaweed as an opportunity worth pursuing.

In essence, the seaweed sector suffers not from a lack of natural resources but from systemic neglect. Unless these barriers are addressed through strategic policies, research collaboration, organized farming, and awareness campaigns, Pakistan risks losing out on a valuable opportunity to transform its blue economy.

Conclusion

Pakistan’s blue economy holds immense promise, and seaweed represents one of its most overlooked treasures. With more than 200 species found along its 1,050 km coastline, Pakistan has the natural endowment to become a competitive player in the global seaweed market. Yet, systemic neglect manifested in the absence of supportive policies, weak research and development, unorganized cultivation, and low investor awareness has left this resource underutilized. The result is a sector with vast ecological, economic, and social potential that remains untapped.

Globally, seaweed has transformed coastal economies, fueling billion-dollar industries in food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agriculture, and renewable energy, while simultaneously contributing to climate resilience and nutrition security. Pakistan, by contrast, exports only raw material worth a negligible $2.1 million annually, missing opportunities for value addition, job creation, and foreign exchange earnings.

Realizing seaweed’s potential requires a paradigm shift: the development of a dedicated national seaweed policy, investment in aquaculture and processing technologies, and strong linkages between research institutions, industry, and coastal communities. By empowering local communities especially women and fostering sustainable cultivation practices, seaweed can become more than just a marine resource. It can serve as a cornerstone of Pakistan’s sustainable development, enhancing livelihoods, boosting exports, and positioning the country as a leader in the emerging blue economy.

References: Amir et al; FAO; Grand View Research; ITC; Shameel; WWF-Pakistan.

Please note that the views expressed in this article are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of any organization.

The writer is affiliated with the Department of Agricultural Economics, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Pakistan and can be reached at noondaniaziz786@gmail.com

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