The export of the seaweed Angel's Hair, to Japan this year is expected to bring in $6 million worth of foreign currencies earnings for Tonga.

It will be a record exporting earning of Angel's Hair since the first trial export of the Tongan seaweed to Japan in 1998.

The two major exporters of Angel's Hair are Tangle Nano Company Ltd and the Koloa mei 'Oseni. Both companies aim to export over 1,000 tonnes each this year.

Koloa Mei '‘Oseni Ltd a new comer this year to the Angel's Hair export business is targetting to export 1,500 tonnes, but by last week it had exported 400 tonnes.

'Aleki Mataele, director of Koloa, said they are expecting to earn about $4 million pa'’anga from their seaweed exports.

'Aleki said that although the company just began exporting seaweed this year, "but we hold a majority of the market, because our market is not limited to Japan only, we export worldwide to Europe, the United States".

The seaweed season runs from August to December.