Russia poised as ‘exciting’ market for PH shrimp

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is eyeing Russia as an “exciting” market for the Philippines’ shrimp industry, its top official said.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, who was guest of honor at the 11th National Shrimp Congress held at SMX Convention Center in Bacolod City Thursday, said he recently talked with his Russian counterparts in Vietnam, during a bilateral meeting.

Piñol was with President Rodrigo Duterte, who met with Russia President Vladimir Putin.

In that meeting, Putin was very emphatic in telling Duterte to start delivering agriculture products as they have the money, he said.

“This is where I would like to bring the shrimp industry,” Piñol said, adding that Russia is the new exciting market “but we have to get our acts together. We cannot operate independently.”

The DA official noted that he will meet the feed and flour millers in the country and ask them to partner with shrimp industry players as well as banana growers.

The key to successful engagement with Russia is back loading, Piñol said. “We deliver, they deliver, we back load shrimps, banana and everything we produce in this country. This could mean less cargo and freight costs and that will make us competitive.”

By the end of this month, the national government will form a technical working group that will focus on trade engagements between the Philippines and Russia.

Piñol, who will head the technical working group, said he will send an inspection team to Russia next month.

In February 2018, the government will hold the Philippine-Russia Trade and Business Forum in Davao City.

This forum will allow local shrimp industry players to directly engage with their Russian counterparts, Piñol said.

“I will wait for the outcome of this congress, which we will use in building a road map for the shrimp industry. This development plan will make you feel that government after all cares for you,” he added.

The DA’s priority measures to further boost the agriculture and fishery sector are technology, financing and marketing, its top official further noted. 

Senate Committee in Agriculture and Food Chairman Sen. Cynthia Villar, in a message delivered by Sugar Board Director Emilio Yulo III, said shrimps is an important commodity in the country.

With an annual production of 50,000 metric tons, the Philippines ranks sixth in world shrimp production and 90 percent of local production comes from aquaculture.

In Western Visayas, Negros Occidental has the highest shrimp production, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Region 6 said.

Villar said the event is a good platform to discuss new ideas, processes, practices and technology that can sustain the growth of the shrimp industry.

“The Philippine shrimp industry is also in the midst of more intense competition amidst the regional economic reintegration under the ASEAN economic community. Thus, there is a need to keep pace with industry trends and innovations to improve yields and production,” she added.

Themed “Sustainable Shrimp Industry: Unified Direction Towards Production and Growth," the three-day event gathers thousands of industry stakeholders from both public and private sectors in the country.

Philippine Shrimp Industry Inc. president Roberto Gatuslao said the congress is a caravan of knowledge positioned to convey the latest technological innovation that can positively influence production.

Gatuslao said they are optimistic that the plan of the government to venture partnership with Russia will boost the local industry especially in terms of acquiring technologies that can address the white spot disease infesting locally-grown shrimps.

"We will listen to our Russian counterparts. If it is good for the industry, then we are very much open," he said, adding that "the congress aims to provide better outlook to small scale farmers through sharing of information on extensive shrimp culture.

For his part, Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. recalled that the province was previously the biggest producer of shrimp but it collapsed due to many factors.

Marañon said the province has learned its lessons and found new technology thus, "I could see that shrimp is back."

"The shrimp industry paired with aquaculture will surely exceed sugar industry," he said, adding that there is a huge future for aquaculture "if we just work together especially on protecting our environment."

There is also a need to invest on research and development as there are still much to learn, the governor added. — BAP, GMA News