Growing Grape seaweed for export, towards sustainable development.
Umibudo (Caulerpa lentillifera) is famous for its English name as Sea Grapes, or more luxuriously as Green Caviar (green caviar).
The genus Caulerpa belongs to the phylum of green seaweeds, and there are many species, but only two are commonly eaten, C. lentillifera and C. racemosa, often eaten fresh with salads.
Grape seaweed is distributed in sandy or sandy bottom seas in warm, calm and clear waters. This is a product classified in 5 specialties of Okinawa region, Japan.
Currently, the Philippines grows this seaweed very successfully in the Mactan island, Cebu, leading the world in production (in 2006 reached 5,444 tons, worth 2.242 million USD). Products are mainly consumed domestically and a small part is exported to Japan.
Currently, grape seaweed is being grown in Vietnam in many different forms and scales. But the most successful is the Hai Nam-Okinawa joint venture company of Hai Nam Co., Ltd. in Phan Thiet, which has imported Japanese varieties and technology, grown seaweed on an industrial scale with very high productivity and quality of finished products, products are exported to Japan and consumed in Japanese restaurants in the country.
(According to the seafood trade magazine)