Gov. Arthur Yap advances the idea that the perennial problem of high fish
prices can be solved by reducing the trading layers.
He plans to solve the problem by opening up more fisherfolks’ market in the
province.
The governor’s pronouncement comes as fish prices have increased of
late.
Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Larry Pamugas in a telephone interview
yesterday, Jan. 30, 2021, confirmed that fish prices indeed increased as of
the moment as the supply of captured fish from the sea is down due to the
colder weather conditions.
The assistant provincial agriculturist added that the cold weather has a
direct correlation with the fish catch. Colder weather means less fish catch.
For his part, Yap thinks that the long-term solution to the high fish prices is
to let the fisherfolks sell directly their catch to the end consumer.
“Kung naa tay mga agri-fishery retail terminals na puede natong maablihan
straight to our producers sa mga kalungsuran then makuhaan ta sa mga
trading layers,” the governor said during the weekly virtual press
conference on Friday, Jan. 29, 2021.
Trading layers refers to each stop the fish supply makes in the supply
chain. In each trading layer, there is a middleman. Each time the fish
supply goes through a layer, the price of fish increases.
According to Pamugas the fish supply goes through at least three (3)
trading layers before reaching the fish retailer.
The governor said aside from cutting the trading layers, there is also a
need to develop the fishponds in the province.
“When it comes to fishery, we have to develop more fishponds,” the
governor explained.
Yap added that the provincial government is in the process of bidding for
the equipment that will be used in the development of fishponds in the
province.
“Until those equipment come in ug magamit nato, we will have no chance
na ma-develop ang mga fishpond areas [in Bohol] that’s about 2,000
hectares,” the governor quipped.
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) officer-in-charge (OIC)
provincial director Candido Samijon also thinks the trading layers contribute
to the high fish prices here.
He made the pronouncement in a radio interview over NEWSMAKERS
program on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, hosted by Ardy Araneta-Batoy and
Gloria Leodivica Araneta.
The BFAR official explained that trading layers add to the cost of fish that
end up being sold to end consumers.
“Tinood gyud nang gikan sa punuan, gikan sa dagat, gikan sa mananagat
gikompra didto sa lawod so niagi na [isda] sa usa ka tawo. So pagabot sa
mainland, pagabot sa merkado gikompra na pud na [isda] padung
Tagbilaran, so ikaduha na. Pagabot sa merkado sa Tagbilaran gikompra na
pud na ug lab-asera o di kaha holder nga maoy nag kuwan, so ika-tulo.
Kadtong tapad na pwesto nga walay isda komprahon na pud to [isda].
Ibutang nato ug baynte, baynte lang siguro pinakaminos kada kamot moagi
ba so upat ka kamot times 20 so pinakaminos ana 80 [ang patong],”
Samijon said.
In the same interview, he said that one way to get cheaper fish is through
aquaculture. Bangus and tilapia are the staple fish varieties of aquaculture.
He bared that weather conditions and other factors may affect supply of
captured fish which is something difficult to control.
Supply fluctuations and increasing population of the province are also
contributing factors to the increase in fish prices, especially those caught at
sea, the BFAR official quipped.
It is easier to control the supply of fish from fishponds, which explains why
the prices of bangus and tilapia remain stable, he explained.
Meanwhile, Samijon said he has no knowledge of a fish cartel operating
here and manipulating the fish prices.