**Indonesia Eucheuma cottonii wholesale runs a raw dried FOB band of USD 4-12/kg (commodity salted 4-7, standard 6-9, higher-grade low-moisture clean 9-12), with cleaned food-grade bulk at USD 25-55/kg. Prices are FOB indicative per 2026, moving with harvest, moisture and grade; final quotes confirm on spec and MOQ.**
Industry sources describe Indonesia as the world’s largest producer of red seaweeds, and Eucheuma cottonii — also catalogued as Kappaphycus alvarezii, and known locally as cottonii, katoni or sacul — is its flagship crop. This page is built for carrageenan processors, food and nutraceutical formulators, and private-label health brands buying by the metric ton.
Why buy Eucheuma cottonii from Indonesia?
Cottonii is the primary source of kappa carrageenan (its cousin Eucheuma spinosum yields iota carrageenan). It is a warm-water red seaweed that grows naturally within roughly 20 degrees latitude of the equator across the Indo-Pacific, concentrated in Southeast Asia. In Indonesia’s tropical waters it can reach about ten times its mass in 45-50 days. Cottonii from the Philippines became cultivable in Indonesia in 1974, and today it is farmed by the longline method using plastic rope tied to lines anchored to poles on the seabed.
Production is spread across Maluku, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), South Sulawesi (Bone, Maros, Jeneponto, Takalar, Luwu and East Luwu), West Lombok and North Kalimantan, with Surabaya and East Java acting as the key processing and export gateway. Bali functions as a sourcing and logistics hub rather than a large documented production zone. The processing sector is real and expanding: some Indonesian processors around Surabaya and East Java produce food-grade carrageenan from cottonii and spinosum, and Indonesia has a real, growing domestic carrageenan-processing base across the Surabaya and East Java region.
How much does Indonesia Eucheuma cottonii cost wholesale?
| Grade / form | FOB band (USD/kg) | Typical profile |
|---|---|---|
| Commodity / salted, higher-moisture | 4-7 | Entry commodity, salted, higher moisture |
| Standard raw dried | 6-9 | Sun-dried, mid-grade selection |
| Higher-grade low-moisture, clean | 9-12 | Low moisture, cleaner, lower foreign matter |
| Cleaned / washed food-grade bulk | 25-55 | Further processed, food-grade wholesale |
Those figures are FOB indicative per 2026 and move with harvest, moisture and grade; the final quote is confirmed on your spec and MOQ. Branded Western retail sea moss is priced far higher and is not our FOB quote. We never attach a specific price to a named third-party company, and none of these numbers is a contract until a written quotation is issued.
Read quotes carefully. One export listing quoted FOB “starting at $1330/Bags” from Indonesia — that figure is undated and priced per bag, not per kilogram, and varies with volume, packaging and destination. Always convert to a per-kg basis against the stated bag weight before comparing suppliers.
What volume tiers and MOQ apply?
Most buyers open with a 1 MT trial to validate quality against a batch Certificate of Analysis, then scale into contract tonnage. A shipping container holds roughly 20-25 MT, so contract volumes are usually planned in container multiples.
| Stage | Volume | Typical use | Loading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trial | 1 MT | Sample / QC validation | LCL or part load |
| Small contract | 20-25 MT | First full container | 40HC ~25 MT |
| Mid contract | ~50 MT | Recurring supply | 2 x 40ft |
| Large contract | 100 MT+ | Programme volume | Multi-FCL |
Container loading benchmarks: a 20ft holds about 15 MT, a 40ft about 23 MT, and a 40HC roughly 25 MT — around 350 bales of 100 kg each. Some exporters run multiple FCL per month, so large programmes are feasible, but confirm lead time against current harvest.
What grades and specs will you receive?
Documented wholesale specs for dried cottonii vary by trader and drying method, so match the profile to your carrageenan-yield and cleaning needs.
| Spec profile | Moisture | Foreign matter / impurity | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard sun-dried | 35-37% max | 3% max | Trader-documented |
| Sun-dried alternate | 35-37% | 5% max | Sun-dried |
| Higher-moisture lot | 37-39% | 2% max | Wetter selection |
| Premium “Dried Raw Algae Grade A” | <35% | <2% | Grade A & B selections |
Treat any moisture, ash, foreign-matter, microbiological, heavy-metal or carrageenan-yield figure as claimable only when it comes from a specific batch COA. Cottonii is valued as a kappa-carrageenan feedstock for its high gel strength and low impurity; some Indonesian processors market it on exactly those attributes. Packaging is standardised: bales wrapped in polypropylene cloth, in 50 kg or 100 kg bags, with a 12-month shelf life when stored cool, dry, sealed and away from direct sunlight.
How does wholesale ordering work?
- Share spec and target volume. Tell us grade, moisture ceiling, foreign-matter limit and whether you need raw dried or cleaned food-grade, plus destination port.
- Receive an indicative FOB quote. We return a per-kg band and sample terms, dated and grade-specific.
- Run a 1 MT trial. Validate the lot against its batch COA before committing to contract tonnage.
- Confirm contract MOQ. Lock 20-100 MT in container multiples, with FOB, CIF or CNF terms.
- Approve payment and production. Choose T/T, 100% irrevocable LC at sight, or 100% advance; delivery typically follows 30-60 days after payment is approved.
- Documents, loading and shipment. COA, COO, phytosanitary and other papers are issued, containers load, and the order ships worldwide.
What trade terms and documents apply?
Trade terms are offered FOB, CIF or CNF, shipped worldwide. Typical export documents include a Certificate of Analysis (COA), MSDS, Fumigation Certificate, Phytosanitary Certificate and Certificate of Origin (COO), with Halal and HACCP/ISO 22000 supplied on request.
A note on seasonality: monsoon and rainy seasons lengthen sun-drying and push moisture up, while ice-ice disease and epiphytes affect yield — both reasons a low-moisture clean selection carries a premium, and why quotes stay indicative until spec is locked. Sea moss is a food ingredient, not medicine; we make no disease-cure claims and cannot guarantee customs clearance in your market.
Get wholesale pricing
Ready for a spec-matched quote? The Bali Premium Trip concierge desk handles sourcing, sampling and container logistics for Indonesian cottonii buyers, with a 24-working-hour response.
- WhatsApp: +62 811 2859 0000
- Email: sales@balipremiumtrip.com
Send your grade, moisture ceiling, target volume and destination port, and we will return an indicative FOB band plus 1 MT trial terms. Pricing is indicative, not a contract; the final quote confirms on your spec and MOQ.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum order quantity for Eucheuma cottonii wholesale from Indonesia?
A 1 MT trial is the typical entry point, letting buyers validate quality against a batch COA before committing. Contract volumes then rise to 20-100 MT, roughly one to several containers, since a 40HC holds about 25 MT. Trial and part-load options depend on grade and destination; confirm terms with the concierge desk.
How much cottonii does a shipping container hold?
Loading depends on the container: a 20ft holds about 15 MT, a 40ft about 23 MT, and a 40HC roughly 25 MT — around 350 bales of 100 kg each. Cottonii ships as bales wrapped in polypropylene cloth in 50 kg or 100 kg bags, with a 12-month shelf life when stored cool, dry and sealed.
What is the difference between raw dried and cleaned food-grade cottonii pricing?
Raw dried cottonii sits in an FOB band of USD 4-12/kg per 2026, split by moisture and cleanliness: commodity salted 4-7, standard 6-9, and low-moisture clean selections 9-12. Cleaned, washed food-grade bulk is processed further and runs USD 25-55/kg. Branded Western retail sea moss is priced far higher and is not our FOB quote.
Which documents come with an Indonesian cottonii wholesale shipment?
Typical export documents include a Certificate of Analysis (COA), MSDS, Fumigation Certificate, Phytosanitary Certificate and Certificate of Origin (COO). Halal and HACCP/ISO 22000 are supplied on request. Any moisture, ash, foreign-matter or carrageenan-yield figure is only claimable when it comes from a specific batch COA, and we cannot guarantee customs clearance.
Why does the FOB price for Eucheuma cottonii vary so much?
Cottonii is a farmed commodity, so FOB prices move with each harvest, moisture content and grade. Monsoon and rainy seasons lengthen sun-drying and raise moisture, while ice-ice disease and epiphytes affect yield. Cleaner, low-moisture selections command more. That is why quotes stay indicative until spec and MOQ are fixed.