RP milkfish industry eyes 30% share of US, European marts

The country’s local milkfish or bangus industry is taking steps to snag a 30-percent share of the lucrative milkfish market in the United States and Europe.

The recently-created Fish and Aquaculture Board (FAB), led by the private sector, recently launched "Project Marco Polo" which has outlined a strategy for the sustainable development of the aquaculture industry. This signalled the push for a more cohesive and aggresive effort to get into the major markets for fresh frozen milkfish currently dominated by Taiwan.

Taiwan, a major producer and exporter of milkfish, holds a 30-percent share of both markets in the US and Europe which import an average of 50,000 metric tons yearly of fresh milkfish. The rest is supplied by Latin American producers such as Peru and Ecuador.

The Philippines exports mostly processed milkfish such as frozen bangus steaks and bellies, smoked milkfish and canned and bottled milkfish in very limited quantities.

"Project Marco Polo" which covers both bangus and tilapia sectors involves market and product development, infrastructure support and the adoption of progressive farming technologies.

FAB, composed of hatchery operators, feed millers, processors and equipment suppliers, want to improve current aquaculture growing techniques in various water environments to increase production at the least possible cost.

These areas include marine pens and cages, brackishwater ponds, and fresh water pens in Laguna de Bay and Lake Buluan in Maguindanao, the country’s largest and sixth largest fresh water bodies, respectively.

To be able to compete in the export market, the FAB is proposing a P5-million technical assistance for a bangus export marketing program on top of a P60-million loan for the construction of three bangus processing plants, each worth P20 million, to produce value added products for the local and overseas market.

One facility with a capacity of 1,400 MT is being proposed to be established in Pangasinan, another with 3,000-MT capacity is being planned to rise in Pampanga, while another 3,000-MT capacity plant will be put up Gen. Santos City.

Next to seaweeds, bangus has become the country’s most important aquaculture product, with production value reaching close to P15 billion in 2002, industry figures show.

Central Luzon is the biggest producer with output from its brackishwater ponds and marine pens and cages reaching 55,932 MT, or 28.3 percent of total production.