P’sinanbangus industry recovers after fishkills

DAGUPAN CITY – The price of bangus (milkfish) harvested here and in nearby towns has recovered by 90 percent since fishkills occurred in the province two months ago.

City agriculturist Emma Molina said their latest monitoring showed that last Monday, the price of bangus per kilo has risen to P80 for 500 “grammers” (two pieces for one kilo), which is only P5 to P10 less than the P85 to P90 per kilo before the fishkills hit bangus-producing towns in western Pangasinan last May.

Sales of bangus to traders outside the province like those from Kalinga, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Isabela, Cagayan, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, and Baguio City have improved to 70 to 75 percent compared to the pre-fishkill situation.

“It’s much better now unlike immediately after the fishkill incident when there were no buyers,” she said.

She added some bangus producers delayed their harvest following reports that “double dead” bangus were being sold in markets.

Consequently, these producers incurred more expenses on commercial feeds and labor as they waited for the right time to harvest. But consumers preferred to buy smaller bangus.

“But now, there are ready buyers but still not the same volume as before,” Molina said.

She said the 33 regular bangus traders, both from some towns in Pangasinan and from other provinces, now buy about 1.2 tons or less each of their bangus supply twice a week from consignaciones (big-time bangusvendors) at the Magsaysay fish market here, the center of bangus trading in Pangasinan. Before the fishkills, each would get 1.6 tons.

During peak sales, consignaciones here would sell 15 tons daily, but now it’s still down at 10 tons. -- EV