First it was the rice supply. Soon, consumers will have to contend with the rising price of canned goods and the dwindling supply of fresh fish.
This, after Zamboanga fisherfolk supplying fish to makers of canned sardines stopped catching fish since Monday because the rapid rise of the price of diesel have forced them to halt their operations to prevent further losses.
“We are not here to do a strike or something, but it’s really forced by circumstances that we are at a loss. we are at loss. So if you operate at a loss, its will shorten the lifespan of your company, so its better to stop, at least, your operating loss will be minimal,” said Eugene Yap, vice-president of the Southern Philippines Deep-Sea Fishing Association.
Deep-sea fishers want to raise the price of Sardinella — the fish species usually made into sardines — to P25 per kilo from the current P20. Sardine makers are blocking the attempt since a P5 increase would mean a P100-jump for each carton of the canned product.
And for each can of sardines, the price increase may go as high as P1.
“Tataas… at least P1.00 per tin… by August. At the moment, lumalabas na baka magpatigasan yung dalawang grupo,” said Bombit Buencamino, executive director of the Alliance of Fish Canners.
Meanwhile, prices of canned meat are also headed north after some tincan makers implement the second tranche of their price adjustment beginning August 1.
The price adjustment ranges from P0.20 to P0.55 per can. These include prices of corned beef, luncheon meat and sausages.
According to the Philippine Association of Meat Processors (PAMP), the price hike in September will be the start of the upward trend in canned good prices until the holiday season.
“Hindi lang ngayon mag-iincrease yung mga lata. Baka by next year mag-iincrease pa rin yung presyo ng lata. There is always that pressure,” said Felix Tiukinhoy, PAMP president.
Manufacturers, especially the sardine makers, will propose to the Department of Trade and Industry include fishermen as beneficiaries of the government’s value-added tax monetary windfall to subsidize their diesel needs.
Fresh fish supply also in peril
Aside from the problem with sardines, consumers also have to deal with a drop in supply of fresh fish.
Many fishing operations nationwide have shut down due to high fuel prices. The problem has also reached Metro Manila.
Vendors at the Navotas Fish Port are complaining that their supply is decreasing.
“Apektado kami, matumal. Apektado kami kasi mabagal,” said fish vendor Annie Sabandal.
According to fish port officials, last year alone 10 to 15 fishing vessels used to arrive daily. This year, the traffic went down to four to five ships per day.
“Tag-ulan at panahon ng bagyo… so kakaunti ang nangingisda at kakaunti ang huling isda sa ganitong panahon,” said port market operations chief Custodio Balauing Jr
