Consumers must take advantage of the cheap bangus and tilapia while they last as prices are expected to increase in the coming days.
In an interview aired on GMA News “24 Oras” Wednesday, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) director Asis Perez said prices of bangus and tilapia were projected to go up by as much as P30 per kilo due to the expected lower supply caused by the destruction of most fishpens in Laguna De Bay and Taal Lake after the onslaught of Typhoon Glenda.
“Eighty percent of those structures you can no longer find, and the remaining 20 percent of the structures nandun pa pero wala nang laman,” Perez said.
Asked about how much fish remains in the Laguna De Bay and Taal Lake fishpens, Perez answered: “Hundred percent walang natira sa fishpen.”
Peres said even the 10-hectare bangus and tilapia farms in Bataan, Bulacan and Pampanga were destroyed by the typhoon.
Perez said the damage could result in limited supply which would lead to higher prices. Perez said that it usually took four to seven months to raise bangus and tilapia before they can be harvested.
“I'm projecting a relative increase in price...Hindi naman dodoble ang price, siguro mga P20 to P30 increase per kilo,” Perez said.
Fish cage owners in Laguna De Bay are set to meet with the officials of BFAR on Thursday to discuss how to address the looming supply shortage. Majority of the supply of bangus and tilapia in Metro Manila comes from Laguna De Bay.
Just recently, bangus from Laguna De Bay were washed to the Pasig River to the delight of nearby residents. This happened after Typhoon Glenda destroyed the fishpens in the lake.
According to the “24 Oras” report, the supply of bangus and tilapia that came from Laguna De Bay and Taal Lake and ended up in the Pasig River caused a major drop in prices in several markets in Metro Manila.
In Commonwealth Market in Quezon City alone, prices of medium to large-sizes bangus have dropped to P25 to P30 per kilo from its previous prices of P80 to P100 per kilo.
“Binabagsak na po kasi dito yan eh. Marami na nga kami dito na nagtitinda, puro bangus lahat,” said a fish vendor.
Meanwhile, the price of tilapia remains at P45 to P50 per kilo but is expected to go down Thursday due to the excess supply.
“Bukas ibabagsak na po namin, mga P40 nalang,” said another fish vendor.
Bangus from Dagupan, Pangasinan, however, remains at P100 per kilo, but some consumers opt to buy this despite the higher cost.
“Sabi kasi, talagang mas sure dito,” a consumer said.
The Department of Health (DOH) recently issued an advisory against eating fish swept from the Laguna De Bay and Taal Lake, especially those caught in Pasig River.
But according to the “24 Oras” report, the BFAR said it was safe to eat these fish from Laguna De Bay and Taal Lake.
The BFAR said they already tested samples of the fish and proved they were safe for consumption.
The BFAR also said that the fish that went to the Pasig River was just a small percentage of the fish from the destroyed fishpens of Laguna De Bay and Taal Lake.
—
Elizabeth Marcelo
/NB, GMA News
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/371686/news/metromanila/glenda-wipeout-of-fishpens-to-trigger-price-hikes-of-bangus-tilapia-bfar