The aquaculture sector is appealing to the public to patronize local tilapia and milkfish to buoy demand.
“Before the pandemic, we had two cycles of harvest a year. Unfortunately, we experienced a dramatic drop in demand for during the pandemic which forced us to limit our harvest to one cycle a year. Even so, farmgate prices are really low,” said Jon Juico, president of the Philippine Tilapia Stakeholders Association, in a virtual briefing yesterday.
The group said demand remains weak despite stable prices even after the recent typhoons that affected thousands of fish cages.
Juico said the farmgate price of tilapia has remained at P70 per kilogram (kg) despite the effects of typhoons Jolina and Kiko and lower than the ideal farmgate price of tilapia P80 to P85 per kg.
Production cost is at P60 to P65 per kg.
“The tilapia in our ponds are oversized because of the long wait for stronger demand. We’re more than ready and eager to answer the government’s call for more fish supply,” Juico said.
Meanwhile, Mario Balazon, director of the 3,000-strong Taal Lake Aquaculture Alliance Inc. said the recent typhoons damaged over 1,000 fish cages.
Balazon said fish farmers are putting the fish back to their cages..
Asis Perez, convenor of food security advocacy group Tugon Kabuhayan said the public should patronize local fish like bangus and tilapia which are more affordable compared to galunggong.
Based on the DA’s monitoring of 11 markets in Metro Manila as of yesterday (September 13), the prevailing price of bangus was at P160 per kg while tilapia is at P120 per kg as local galunggong is at P220 per kg and alumahan at P320 per kg. – Jed Macapagal
