Sarangani backs small bangus growers

By BEVERLY C. PAOYON

 

ALABEL, Sarangani Province (November 30, 2012) - To further establish the industry roadmap for milkfish or bangus in Sarangani, a business matching dubbed as i-Match was held Tuesday (November 27) to provide fisherfolk the technical support in engaging in its production and processing.

 

The activity was also held as one of the preliminary events to highlight the province’s resources as among the objectives of celebrating MunaTo Festival.

 

A signing of the technical marketing agreement that underscored the investment forum provided a venue to equip small bangus growers in the province.

 

Sarangani’s topmost bangus exporter, Alsons Aquaculture Corp., forged the agreement with Kawas Mariculture Producers’ Cooperative and Sarangani Seaweeds Producers’ Cooperative to culture the fish in sea cages as a feasible endeavor to increase their income where Alsons will buy all harvests at a price determined by a pricing committee created for this project.

 

This partnership would address local and international markets demand for value-added products produced from 600-800 grams milkfish or known as XL Bangus.

 

With this partnership, Governor Migs Dominguez said it would be the first time in the country for Land Bank of the Philippines to grant the growers financing for the project without any collateral.

 

Bangus business has been among the priority industries being developed and promoted in Region 12 which constitutes 21,234 metric tons out of the total 372,581 metric tons that the Philippines produced in 2011.

 

Engr. Nenita Barroso, Department of Trade and Industry provincial director, said the national bangus production “continues to increase at a slow pace but is now driven by production from marine pens and cages.”

 

The significant increase in volumes in Mindanao, she said, are found in Region 11 with eight percent from the total produce being caused by the 14 percent increase in volumes from marine cages and pens while in Region 12, volumes in bangus are “only seen in marine cages.”

 

Based on the Bureau Agricultural Statistics data of 2006 to June 2011, South Cotabato-Sarangani-General Santos City area ranked six across all regions in the country in terms of bangus production with Alsons Aquaculture Corp. as the leading company exporting frozen milkfish to the United States (US) and non-US markets in Region 12. For more news and updates, please visit the <a href= http://www.sarangani.gov.ph/ > Province of Sarangani </a>. (Beverly C. Paoyon/ SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)