Government urged to control rising fish prices

MANILA, Philippines — A fisherfolk group urged the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Friday, September 13, to control the rising retail prices of fish, saying that fish sold in the market are a lot more expensive than the fish bought from fishers themselves. 

The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) found that a kilogram of galunggong, tilapia or bangus cost at least P30 more compared to their regular price. 

“Dapat magkaroon ng hakbang ang Department of Agriculture para ibalik ang makatwirang presyo ng isda at iba pang produktong agrikultural sa palengke,” PAMALAKAYA Vice Chairperson Ronnel Arambulo said in a statement.

(The Department of Agriculture should take steps to restore reasonable prices for fish and other agricultural products in the market.)

Arambulo suggested the government could impose an automatic price control to prevent fish traders and middlemen from controlling the retail prices of fish, citing Republic Act 7851 or the Price Act. 

When the government implements a price control measure, it means that authorities have determined the prevailing price of any basic necessity such as food to be “excessive or unreasonable.” 

The president may either impose a ceiling price or freeze the cost of a good at their prevailing price. This was done with the price of rice in September 2023. 

How much has fish been lately?

Based on PAMALAKAYA’s weekly price monitoring, markets are selling galunggong (round scad) for P260 per kilogram, bangus (milkfish) for P240 per kilogram and tilapia for P150 per kilogram. 

The DA has recorded similar retail prices of fish in the National Capital Region based on their own price monitoring. 

Using the price of galunggong in Zambales as an example, the fisherfolk group explained that fish traders purchase galunggong from fishers at P100 to P120 per kilogram and then markup the price by at least 80%, selling it for P220 a kilogram. 

“Ang hindi makatwirang pagsirit ng presyo ng mga pangunahing isda sa palengke ay dahil sa mga trader at middlemen na kontrolado ang presyuhan mula farmgate hanggang retail,” Arambulo said. 

(The unreasonable surge in the prices of essential fish in the market is due to traders and middlemen who control the pricing from farmgate to retail.)

These prices exceed the standard prices that the fisherfolk group considers reasonable, where galunggong is sold at P180 to P220 per kilogram, bangus at P200 per kilogram and tilapia at P100 to P120 per kilogram.

According to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, other factors contributing to the rise in fish prices include recent storms and the oil spill in Bataan, which have disrupted fishing activities.