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Several Israeli companies are taking advantage of the country’s ideal environmental conditions for algae farming

Israelis at the forefront of fast-growing algae market



Israelis at the forefront of fast-growing algae marketFor thousands of years, consuming algae has been part of the native diets of Africa, Central America, South America and Southeast Asia. But today, algae are much more than a wrap for sushi – they are also used to produce a wide range of products such as food additives, natural pigments, chemical-free fabric dyes, biodegradable plastics and biofuels.
Israel has exponentially expanded the country’s knowledge and presence in the algae industry by spearheading research, including developing algal-based technologies. Global forecasts are expecting accelerated economic growth in the sector due to a variety of new products and use for different industries. According to Research and Markets, the value of the global algae products market was $3.4 billion in 2017 and is expected to reach $5.6 billion to $6.09 billion by 2025. This forecast growth is due to increasing consumer awareness of the health benefits of algae products and new trends in the production of renewable energy from algae. Algatech, a large Israeli company for algae production, which is selling micro-algae to various industries around the globe, was recently sold for $100 million.

Market expected to double

There is significant value in growing algae since they do not require much land. Algae are very diverse and can be grown in freshwater, brackish water and saltwater environments. Unlike plants that have elements of waste such as stalks, stems and branches, algae use all of their plant material for the final product, leaving no agricultural waste.

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Many new algae-based products are on the market:nutritional supplements, gels for cosmetics, pigments for microscopy, and food, as well as dietary supplements such as astaxanthin and beta-carotene (sold for thousands of dollars per kilogram) and Omega 3-6 fatty acids. More than 10 Israeli companies specialize in algae farming,employing about 200 workers. The three most prominent are a direct result of the commercialization of knowledge developed at Ben-Gurion University and the Weizmann Institute of Science.

Algae Production in Israel



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