Fish demand surges amid scarce supply during Lent

CEBU, Philippines - For the duration of the Holy Week, meat vendors already anticipated a decrease in income since most of the consumers are expected to observe fasting or leave out meat from their meal plans. However, much as fish vendors expected their income to surge from the “meat abstinence”, the scarcity of fish supply likewise pulled down their profit.

Gerry Opolentisima, meat vendor in Carbon Public Market, said that he had only sold 8 kilos of pork from April 2 – 5 compared to regular days in which 20 kilos can be sold per day.

He however recovered his losses as of 5 AM until 2 PM of Easter Sunday, since he sold 30 kilos of pork which was equivalent to P5,000 – P6,000.

Opolentisima noted that bestsellers are the pork ribs which costs P120 per kilo and pork belly which is P170 per kilo.

Meanwhile, Nacy Abarri, who had spent 55 years vending meat, said that she was already used to such lesser income during the Holy Week, prompting her to slaughter only one pig during the season.

“Aw, labaw pa sa ordinary. Pero kasabot ra man sad ko. Wa’y halin kay wala pud ang mga suki nato. Pero karon nga mana, normal na ang baligya pero wa pa gihapon ang mga suki,” Abarri said. (“It was more than ordinary. Still, I understand since we don’t have our usual customers at that time. Now that the Holy Week is over, we (vendors) are back to normal but still, they aren’t here.”)

Unlike them, she added that it was bountiful for fish vendors since the season is favorable to them.

Lourdes Huerte of Carbon Public Market admitted that the Holy Week was indeed luck for them however, she noted that it was also difficult for fish vendors like her since they cannot cope with the demand of the consumers as they have limited supply.

She further explained that such scarcity during the Holy Week is reasonable because fishermen, as part of tradition and respect to the season, seldom catch fish and other seafood on those days. Compared to ordinary days in which they can earn 30-40 kilos of fish, they were only able to sell 24 kilos last week due to scarce supply.

“Halin lagi kaayo pero nahutdan man og isda. Kuwang pa man gani,” Huerte stated. (“All the fish were sold out but it did not suffice the demand.”)

In effect to the supply and demand situation of fish availability, prices from their sources and vendors had increased, causing fish vendors to also raise the price of their products.

For instance, Huerte noted that from the normal price of P210 per kilo of squid, it increased to P250 when they imported it from their supplier and in turn they sold it to the public for P280. (FREEMAN)