The seaweed farmers of Maine are expecting a record harvest this spring as the first few months of the year have yielded more prosperous crops, a product that has come into vogue as people started to eat healthier during the coronavirus pandemic, ABC News reports.
“We’re looking at somewhere between 800,000 and 850,000 pounds of kelp. It’s a lot,” said Jesse Baines, marketing director for Atlantic Sea Farms. “Every once in a while we shake our heads and say — this is a lot.”
Kelp is used in everything from smoothie mixes to seaweed salads. When dried, it’s used as a wrap for sushi. Harvesting seaweed is in the North Atlantic is done in the first half of the year. Baines said his company is prepared to process every bit collected this year, and the company is trying to develop a seaweed that can be harvested year-round.