Seafood prices rise due to bad weather

CEBU, Philippines - The recent weather disturbances have caused prices of seafood products in various Cebu markets to go up by at least 20 to 30 percent.

Fish vendors at the Cebu City's Carbon Public Market told The FREEMAN yesterday, the current high costs have prevailed for the past weeks due to strong winds brought by southwest monsoon in previous days.

According to the state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, the country will continue to experience the same due to the weather transition period wherein the northeast monsoon or amihan would now bring cooler winds in step with the Christmas season.

Market retailers warned consumers that costs of fish products would remain high in the coming days as local fishermen are having a hard time catching seafood due to big waves.

"Bisan way uwan, tungod sa hangin-hangin mao na nga naglisod gyod ang mga mangingisda pagkuha og daghang isda," said 60-year-old Federico Orongan, Carbon fish vendor. "As a result, gamay ra ang abot dinhi sa merkado."

Anduhaw fish is now selling at P150 to P160 a kilo from the normal cost of P100 to P110, tulingan is sold at P130 to P140 per kilo from P80 before, tuloy is now at P60 to P70 per kilo from P40 and galunggong is bought at P130 per kilo from P90 to P100.

In addition, prices of bangus (P100 to P120 per kilo) and tilapia (P100 to P110) have remained unchanged, vendors noted, saying these fishes are being raised and caught from fishponds.

Buyers have observed that supply of fish in the public market has been scarce in recent days due to limited catch from fishermen.

Due to the price hike, according to Orongan, most of his customers are now opting to buy one kilo of fish instead of two while others are even consuming only a quarter of a kilo.

"Kung mahal ang presyo sa isda, ang mga customer dunay may daghang kapilian nga alternative foods mao nga affected pud among halin," said another vendor, 62-year-old Evelyn Alo.

Meanwhile, Gerry Avila of the Department of Agriculture in Central Visayas said soaring fish costs are just temporary due to the bad weather experienced recently.

"In the meantime, since IRR (implementing rules and regulations) of price act is yet in progress, what DA can continue is price monitoring," said Avila, chief of Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division.

Vendors have stressed the low sales has already affected their daily income which has gone down by 20 percent.

While they could not yet predict as to when exactly prices go back to normal, vendors expressed hopes that supply of fish would stabilize so they could have a better income again. — Carlo S. Lorenciana (FREEMAN)