The private sector is seeking assistance from the government to provide more aid to local fisherfolk as the COVID-19 pandemic weakens fish exports due to trade restrictions.
Asis Perez, Tugon Kabuhayan convenor, said in a virtual conference Monday that the prices of seafood decreased by as much as 52 percent due to transport constraints. As a result, local fishers lost a crucial market they depended on for many years.
“A huge crab is usually sold for P2,500 a kilo, but now you can buy it for P1,200 a kilo in Manila. It’s good for local consumers because they can now buy quality seafood, but the export market has really been challenging,” he added.
Perez, a former director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), noted that flight suspensions restrained exports going to Japan and Europe. He added this crippled, the livelihood of fisherfolks as the demand for canned fish products declined.
“During the start of the pandemic, there was an initial windfall in the demand for canned goods because of panic buying. But after that, a big part of production [lost a market]. There has been a disruption in the supply chain,” Perez said.
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Fisherfolk seeks government help to sustain supply
To assist the local fishers, Perez urged the government to invest in establishing cold-storage facilities and ice plants to lengthen the shelf life of seafood products. He added this could be done in cooperation with the private sector.
About 40 percent of seafood products caught get spoiled due to lack of ice-making plants and cold storage. The oversupply could also worsen the situation for the fishing industry.
Perez also said the government could provide soft loans and fast-track the permit process for building such facilities.
“Matagal-tagal iyong mga ganyang mga permit so kung may ganoong klaseng support that will help a lot sa private sector,” he told reporters.
“Areas where private sector does not want to go either because of peace and order situation or because it is not economically feasible for them, they will not make money out of it, then government must set it up,” he added.