00:00 The fishing import is now approved from October to December this year
00:04 based on the order issued by the Agriculture Department.
00:07 A group has been invited to say that
00:09 we should not expect the fishing to be imported to other countries.
00:13 Bernadette Reyes is on the phone.
00:14 The fishing will probably reach the countries
00:20 that are expected to increase the demand for the nearby bermonds.
00:26 So that the supply is not lacking, the Department of Agriculture has already circulated
00:32 to allow the fishing to be imported from October 1 to December 31.
00:37 The issuance of the Certificate of Necessity to Import
00:41 for fish like galunggong, matambaca, mackerel, bonito, and moonfish has also been issued.
00:46 Aside from the high demand, there is also a year of closed fishing season in some places
00:51 where the time varies depending on the place.
00:54 We are giving the fish stocks a chance to repopulate,
00:59 to spawn in the times when they are in flocks and multiply.
01:04 This is understood by the Tugon Kabuhayan group,
01:07 but they say that it does not depend on the importation
01:10 if the aquaculture will be successful in the country.
01:13 Tilapia, bangus, and other species can be raised.
01:20 So we should be there.
01:23 We will make sure that there is enough aquaculture produced
01:29 so that we don't have to import.
01:32 And so that the fish stocks are not destroyed immediately,
01:34 sufficient cold storage facilities are important as a backup.
01:39 Aside from that,
01:40 In times of high fish, our electricity should be cheap so we can store them.
01:46 Our post-harvest losses are the biggest challenge.
01:50 To avoid the impact of local fish,
01:52 only 35,000 metric tons of fish are allowed to be imported,
01:57 instead of the amount of up to 45,000.
02:00 The supply is in a hurry, especially because of the effect of the fish price.
02:04 It's already expensive.
02:06 In the last price monitoring of the Department of Agriculture,
02:09 the price of fresh galunggong is now up to Php 280 per kilo,
02:13 while imported fish is cheaper,
02:15 which is around Php 180 to Php 200 per kilo.
02:19 The price of galunggong and fish is high because they are fresh.
02:22 The fish landed here in Naguadas Fish Port is limited
02:27 because of the bad weather that happened.
02:32 The cost of fish is from Php 10 to Php 15 per kilo,
02:38 like tilapia and mangus.
02:40 For GMA Integrated News, Bernadette Reyes,
02:43 Katootalk 24 Hours.
02:46 (Continues in Tagalog)
