Kelpak says ocean-based biostimulants can support agriculture without depleting kelp forests

By AI, Created 1:26 PM UTC, June 04, 2026, /AGP/ – World Ocean Day is sharpening attention on how agriculture uses natural resources, and Kelpak is pointing to its South African kelp-harvesting model as one example of responsible sourcing. The company says its rotational harvesting, regulatory oversight and biostimulant production show how growers can draw from nature while helping preserve the ecosystems that support it.

Why it matters: - Agriculture is under pressure to produce more reliable crops under less predictable conditions, while also reducing environmental impact. - The Ocean Day message is that nature-based agricultural inputs need transparent sourcing and clear limits, not just performance claims. - Kelpak is using the kelp ecosystem as a case study for how a commercial supply chain can give back while taking value from nature.

What happened: - Kelpak marked World Ocean Day by outlining how it harvests Ecklonia maxima kelp from South Africa’s cold Atlantic coastline and the waters around the Cape Peninsula. - The company says its biostimulant model is built around responsible ocean use and long-term ecosystem renewal. - Harvesting Manager Christo van Eeden said the ocean sets the limits and that kelp forests must be able to replenish season after season.

The details: - Kelpak has worked with Ecklonia maxima for nearly five decades. - The company uses a rotational strip-harvesting system in designated areas, then leaves harvested sections alone until they can be revisited. - Mature kelp is cut only after it reaches full size. - Harvesting mature kelp creates light and space on the rocks for new plants to establish from spores. - Older kelp is naturally broken by wave action in Cape waters, so opening space is part of the ecosystem’s normal cycle. - Kelpak operates under quotas, harvest limits and site inspections. - Drone surveys track canopy cover and biomass. - Field studies and academic partnerships help measure kelp density, age structure and natural mortality. - The harvested kelp is processed into a natural plant biostimulant used by growers in more than 80 countries. - The biostimulant is not a fertiliser and does not replace crop nutrition. - Kelpak says the product supports root development, nutrient-use efficiency, stress tolerance and crop quality. - The full kelp plant, including stipe and fronds, is used in precise ratios. - Remaining material is repurposed for compost and other beneficial applications. - Local hand-harvesting partners receive safety, environmental, compliance and business training.

Between the lines: - The company is framing sustainability as a measurable operating system, not a marketing claim. - The approach links marine stewardship to farm resilience, suggesting that input suppliers will face more scrutiny over how they source raw materials. - The article’s broader argument is that agricultural innovation loses credibility if it weakens the ecosystems it depends on.

What’s next: - Kelpak’s model will be judged by whether its harvesting practices continue to maintain kelp forest health over time. - Wider adoption of nature-based inputs may depend on proof that resource use can stay within ecological limits. - World Ocean Day is likely to keep pressure on businesses to show what they replenish, restore or leave intact.

The bottom line: - Kelpak is presenting ocean-sourced agriculture as sustainable only if the ocean is treated as a partner with limits, not an invisible supplier.