Food sufficiency on right track as ‘bangus’ production grew 8.3%

MANILA – The Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) on Tuesday said the country’s food sufficiency efforts are on the right track, citing an 8.3 percent growth posted in the bangus (milkfish) production in the first half of 2021.

“Sustainable fishery production ang basehan ng lahat ng programang ginagawa natin dito sa BFAR, kaya kung tataas ang produksyon ng isang commodity, especially bangus, it means na tama ang ginagawa natin at patungo tayo sa food sufficiency (The basis of the programs we are doing in BFAR is the sustainable fishery production, so, if the production of a commodity, such as bangus, is increasing, it means we are doing right and we are on the right track to food sufficiency),” BFAR Central Luzon Regional Director Wilfredo Cruz said in a Facebook post.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the country harvested over 180,000 metric tons (MT) of milkfish nationwide by end of June. It is higher than 170,755 MT produced in the same period last year.

The BFAR Central Luzon released data showing the region has the highest milkfish production of 55,740 MT followed by Ilocos Region (47,552 MT) and Western Visayas (44,687 MT).

It added that “bangus” fry production nationwide reached 1.08 billion fingerlings by the end of September or 40.8 percent higher compared to the same period last year.

“Sanhi nito ang pagdoble ng produksyong nagmumula sa mga hatchery na itinatag ng BFAR sa mga lokal na pamahalaan (This the result of double production from hatcheries established by BFAR in the local governments),” the BFAR said in a statement.

The BFAR has urged its regional offices to strengthen its partnership with the local government units to nurture the state of fishery in the country.