From Galway Bay FM newsroom- The prices being paid for seaweed in Connemara have rocketed in recent weeks, with tough competition having emerged on the markets.
The price per ton to harvesters has now reached €110, which is a threefold increase on what was being paid to them some years ago.
Every euro in the pockets of those who harvest seaweed on the rocky shores of Connemara is hard-earned. The work is manual and laborious.
However, the boost in the price per ton in recent years has made it more rewarding.
The value per ton to the harvester for ascophylum seaweed,or feamainn bhuí, hovered around €40 five or six years ago. With competition from various sources, it went to 55 and 60, and 80 euros per ton. However, the latest jump is the most dramatic.
Buyers from France have entered the market directly sending their lorries to Connemara and offering €110 per ton for seaweed on the spot.
Buyers such as the long-established Arramara company, buyers from Mayo, and some from Kerry have followed suit.
Reports suggest that the French entrants into the market may now be going beyond the €110 mark.
The seaweed of Connemara has many uses on the market both in foods, fertilizers, and other sources.
The proof of the pudding is now in the prices.
