WHILE fish catch is still abundant, there might be a supply shortage if fuel prices remain high during the lean months of May or June, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said on Wednesday.
A solution would “unfortunately” be importation, Tiu Laurel admitted, but “the problem is we might also not get any supply because the situation of our fishermen [would be the same as that of] fishermen in other countries, right?”
Another solution is increased support for the aquaculture industry.
“Let‘s seed more fingerlings now that summer is approaching so that, hopefully by May or June, we will have an ample supply of alternative seafoods,” Tiu Laurel said, but noted that fisherfolk will still have “plenty of catch, [so they are] still earning, or at least they would not be losing,” in the next two months.
Prices will depend on available supply.
During an inspection led by the Departments of Agriculture and Trade at the Agora Market in San Juan, Tiu Laurel said, “I noticed that galunggong sells for P200/kg, not P300/kg. It reached P350/kg before. Now it‘s only P200/kg. It means harvest season has started.”
This might not be the case in other Metro Manila markets. Data from the DA Bantay Presyo — the agency‘s price monitoring initiative — showed that, as of Wednesday, local galunggong retailed at P317.82/kg, while the imported kind sold for P305.71/kg.
Fuel subsidy
In response to the fuel price hike, the DA has prepared P75 million for distribution as fuel subsidy to fisherfolk through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. Each fisher will receive P3,000 starting this month.
The DA is also considering releasing P10 billion in cash assistance using the Presidential Assistance to Farmers and Fisherfolk funds, as it continues to seek other funding sources to help farmers and fisherfolk amid high fuel prices due to the war in Iran.