MANILA, Philippines — The government will import an additional 8,000 metric tons (MT) of fish amid the closed fishing season and the P1-billion damage to the fisheries sector due to successive typhoons, a ranking Department of Agriculture (DA) official said on Tuesday.
At a press conference, Agriculture Assistant Secretary and spokesman Arnel de Mesa said the importation of an additional 8,000 MT of fish was discussed during the meeting of DA officials on Monday.
“Yesterday (Monday) there was discussion on the possible additional importation of fish. The volume is at 8,000 MT and this (additional fish imports) needs to arrive before the end of the year,” de Mesa said.
De Mesa added that this will bring the total volume of imported fish for this year to 38,000 MT after Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. previously approved the importation of 30,000 MT of fish amid the start of closed fishing season on Nov. 1.
“We know the problems brought by the successive typhoons, Kristine, Leon, Marce, Nika, Ofel up to Pepito and one of the affected is the fisheries (sector),” de Mesa added.
De Mesa maintained that there is still no shortage of fish despite the elevated retail price in the markets, adding that the DA has no plan to implement price control.
He said the additional 8,000 MT of imported fish should arrive in the first two weeks of December.