PH shrimp industry banks on gov’t support to sustain growth

SHRIMP CONGRESS. Senator Cynthia Villar (center) leads the opening of the three-day 12th Philippine National Shrimp Congress at the SMX Convention Center in Bacolod City on Wednesday (Nov. 20, 2019). She is joined by Negros Occidental 2nd District Rep. Leo Rafael Cueva (right), Philippine Shrimp Industry, Inc. president Roberto Gatuslao (2nd from right), congress chairman Constantine Tanchan (left) and other Philshrimp officials. (PNA photo by Nanette L. Guadalquiver)

BACOLOD CITY — Filipino shrimp producers are banking on government support to sustain the industry’s growth in recent years brought about by good domestic demand for the commodity.

Industry players have gathered for the three-day 12th Philippine National Shrimp Congress at the SMX Convention Center Bacolod in a bid to strengthen cooperation to enable the local producers to be globally competitive.

Constantine Tanchan, congress chair, said the Philippine shrimp industry has been “experiencing a very tremendous growth” in the past two years, particularly in southern Mindanao, and also in areas of the Visayas and Luzon.

“(We are) very optimistic, in partnership with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), that the industry will be able to achieve its goals,” Tanchan said in a press conference during the event’s opening on Wednesday.

He said during those two years, shrimp farms have been expanding and a lot of new players have come in.

“Most of them are small and medium players. We expect next year to be very productive for the Philippines. We hope that with government support, we can really be part of the top 10 shrimp producers in the world,” he added.

BFAR national director Eduardo Gongona noted that in 2018, shrimp was one of the major fishery exports, with the Philippines exporting more than 7,000 metric tons (MT), valued at PHP2.43 billion.

The country’s annual average shrimp and prawn production is pegged at 60,000 MT, which accounts for 2.65 percent of the total aquaculture production.

Negrense Roberto Gatuslao, president of Philippine Shrimp Industry, Inc. (PhilShrimp), said such yield can be considered “good production.”

“Before, only Negros produces shrimp. Now it’s nationwide, from Mindanao to Luzon, every part of the country,” he added.

Moreover, Tanchan said there is a good demand for shrimps in the Philippine market alone.

“The projected production is 60,000 MT, but the export is only 7,000 MT because 90 percent is already consumed by Filipinos,” he said.

Tanchan said government policies supportive of the shrimp industry are crucial in its development.

“We can bring the industry to the top 10 (in the world), with total production of 150,000 to 200,000 MT a year,” he added.

In her keynote message, Senator Cynthia Villar, chair of the Senate committee on agriculture, hopes the Philshrimp Congress would be a venue for discussions, collaborations, exchange of ideas, as well as a showcase of the latest technology and best practices.

“Your inputs are very important because you are the ones out there who are directly engaged and involved. Help us make things better, implement timely policies, responsive legislations, and realistic plans. Let us strengthen our collaboration,” Villar added.

Other officials who attended the opening rites were Negros Occidental 2nd District Rep. Leo Rafael Cueva, chair of the House committee on aquaculture and fisheries resources; Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson; BFAR 6 (Western Visayas) Director Remia Aparri; Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center Aquaculture Department chief Dan Baliao; and Department of Science and Technology 6 Director Rowen Gelonga.

This year’s congress carries the theme, “Strengthening Synergies Towards a Progressive Shrimp Industry for Global Competitive Advantage.”