Bangus expansion hindered by high cost of imported fry

The bangus industry is grappling with several challenges that have prevented it from achieving its full potential.

University of Asia and Pacific Center for Food and Agribusiness (CFA) Agribusiness Specialist Joy Kristel Orzales said one of the main issues confronting the sector is its continued reliance on imported fry, Business Mirror noted.

Orzales noted that high dependence on imported fry tends to make local producers prone to supply disruptions and higher costs. Compounding their problems is the high prices of feeds. 

“On top of that, poor farming practices are leading to environmental problems like siltation and mass fish deaths, harming both the environment and the industry’s productivity,” she said.

“Many fishponds and mariculture parks– which entail heavy investments–  also remain underused or underdeveloped, which limit the industry’s ability to expand.”

Orzales said one major hurdle in the industry is the lack of reliable data on milkfish production and trade, saying this complicates planning and policymaking. 

During a recently concluded dialogue for bangus, she said stakeholders had noted that the official data is only about 10 percent of the real production data.

“This is because the data only covers the landed number or total catch and does not include the inventory in farms.” 

To address these challenges, Orzales said there is a need for coordinated efforts, better policies, and strategic investments to help the industry grow while remaining competitive in local and international markets.  

She said the government, through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Bfar), has set a roadmap for the sustainable development, global competitiveness, and climate change resilience of the milkfish industry.

“Production of fry can be increased with the help of private sector through private hatcheries and more public-private partnerships (PPP) on climate-resilient infrastructure,” Orzales said. 

“Biosecurity can be enhanced by establishing and maintaining centralized quarantine facilities for milkfish fry near entry points as well as regulation of fry importation specific to quality assurance and disease prevention measures.”

To sort out the issue of data mismatch, Orzales noted that Bfar recognizes the importance of inventory and registration of milkfish aquafarms completion. 

“The private sector can help by working closely with the government in giving accurate inventory data of their farms.”

Orzales also noted a wider market for milkfish globally, citing boneless milkfish production which could be expanded for exports since “the Philippines is the only country that produces and markets this product.”

To widen the market for local milkfish, she said the government and private sector should work together and attend international seafood exhibits, trade fairs, and market forums. 

“Much remains to be done to overcome the challenges in the milkfish industry and unlocking its full potential will require a unified and sustained effort from all stakeholders,” Orzales said.