No fish cartel in Bohol: BFAR

FILE: The SP committee conducted the inquiry on the high prices of fish in the province following complaints from the public.. (PNA photo courtesy of DA)

TAGBILARAN CITY – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Bohol on Tuesday denied the existence of a cartel allegedly controlling the fish prices in the province.

Leo Bongalos of the local BFAR refuted the existence of said cartel during a committee hearing at the Sangguniang Panglalawigan (SP).

The SP committee conducted the inquiry on the high prices of fish in the province following complaints from the public.

Residents have been complaining of higher fish prices here in Bohol compared to other places in the Visayas, but Bongalos said his office has never been made aware of any cartel operating in the province.

The idea of a cartel was also floated last week when Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) administrator Benjie Oliva told the media that maybe a group is controlling the fish prices in Bohol.

However, it was learned during the committee hearing that the prices of fish can be dictated by the layers of people in the supply chain where the middlemen usually cause the padding of prices of fish bought off the fisherfolks.

The committee will be holding a series of hearings tackling the fish prices in Bohol.

The inquiry came about after Provincial Board Member Tomas Abapo Jr. urged the Provincial Board to probe the high prices of fish in the province.