Praslin Sea Moss Farmers’ Association making Waves

The rumoured demise of sea moss farming in Saint Lucia has been greatly exaggerated. After suffering a lull, the industry seems to be making a comeback with a new American market opening up. Leading this revival is the Praslin Sea Moss Farmers’ Association which made its first shipment to the U.S. back in May. One of its members, Nemrod Biscombe, walked STAR Businessweek, through the entire process, from seed, to boxed package.

How long has the Praslin Sea Moss FARMERS’ Association been around?

Biscombe: The association has been there for almost twenty years. I became a member in 2004, I’ve been planting sea moss since then.

When did the exports to the U.S. begin?

Biscombe: This is something new; it was probably about two or three months ago. Export Saint Lucia came to us, with the market. They linked us to a buyer from the States who wanted sea moss. The Au Picon farmers started exporting and now we are doing so as well.

How has it been so far? What kind of numbers do you ship out?

Biscombe: Right now we’re being asked for 1,000 pounds every week, with the eventual expectation of 2,000 pounds per week.

Most of the sea moss is shipped to the US?

Biscombe: Yes, currently.

What types of sea moss do you grow and ship overseas?

Biscombe: Two types: the euchemia cottonii and the euchemia.

Where do you get the sea moss from?

Biscombe: We farm the sea moss at Praslin Bay or Potris. We used to have a hundred farmers in the water. Right now we have more like fifty but more and more are returning to their farms.

Are Sea Moss farmers from other than praslin allowed to sell to the association?

Biscombe: Anybody who has sea moss (and we know that you have a farm and you’re not stealing people’s stuff or you’re not just picking up something on the beach), anybody’s welcome to bring their sea moss; the Association will buy.

Could you walk us through the process of farming, harvesting, and packaging?

Biscombe: We plant the sea moss at about four to six inches, depending on your preference, and in six to eight weeks you can harvest it. We take it from the farm, then bring it to the bleaching tables. After bleaching, we put it on the drying tables. Once dried, we bag it and then bring it to the Sea Moss Farmers’ Association.

How long does the bleaching and drying normally take?

Biscombe: It depends on how the sun shines. Basically, one table could be bleached in a day. Then it would take two or three days to dry out properly because we want the sea moss bone dry; brittle.

Why is that important? 

Biscombe: Because you do not want the sea moss sweating out and getting mildew after a while. So it’s for the quality and safety of the sea moss.

What kind of profits do you achieve, and how are you planning to grow as time passes?

Biscombe: If there’s an availability or market, sea moss could be very, very profitable. If you’re selling an item for twenty dollars a pound at max, and sixteen at its cheapest, then definitely you’re making something off of it. Profitability is not a problem; it is profitable.

How much is each farmer paid?

Biscombe: Each farmer is paid based on the amount of sea moss they sell and dividends are promised based on the profits at the end of each year.

What sort of impact has the resurgence of sea moss farming had on the community of Praslin?

Biscombe: Well it’s too soon to judge the impact in an economic sense, but there’s a feeling of excitement. The people are now reinvesting in their farms. They are returning to planting in good numbers. They now have a new sense of hope.

What other items does the association sell?

Biscombe: There are the drinks. We also supply distillers with gel.