Proactive steps needed to avert sardines shortage

MANILA, Philippines — An economist-lawmaker at the House of Representative yesterday asked the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) to take “proactive steps” to prevent a shortage of canned sardines and prevent price hikes.

According to House ways and means committee chair Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, the DTI and DA should “engage the canned fish sector over supply concerns, especially with sardines, during the close of the fishing season in the Zamboanga Peninsula.”

This season takes place every year from Dec. 1 to Feb. 28 to enable sardines to reproduce, “to ensure that there is no shortage of canned sardines during the subsequent season.”

“It looks like supply levels remain manageable, as the industry was able to meet the 75,000 metric tons it is required to store during the closed season. But I also expect demand for canned sardines to pick up this year,” he noted.

“And there remain underlying issues, like the suggested retail price (SRP) being below the cost at which some of the canners produce. With marketing costs, the price is P20, which is above the P18 SRP,” he added.

Right now, Salceda said “the most immediate probable result is a lack of supply of some brands in supermarkets, especially as manufacturers try to skip shelf-space fees in supermarkets.”

“So, I am requesting the DTI and the DA to engage in dialogue with the industry and with small players and stakeholders as soon as possible, so we can prevent this potential problem from materializing,” he added.

Salceda has underscored the need to strengthen collaboration with alternative fish sources, such as Papua New Guinea, which is one of country’s biggest sources of sardines.

The lawmaker also said the country needs to ramp up completion of the 54 legislated hatcheries, only three of which have been completed.

“In the long run, of course, we really need to work on fish supply, because climate issues won’t get easier any time soon,” he added.