Sardines shortage looms if 'tamban' supply remains low, say manufacturers

A group of manufacturers of canned sardines on Monday warned of a possible shortage in sardine products should the supply of “tamban” — which they mainly use for production — remain low.

In Bernadette Reyes’ report on “24 Oras”, the Canned Sardines Association of the Philippines (CSAP) attributed the limited supply to a fisheries law that only allows fishermen to catch fish in the municipal waters where “tamban” are usually abundant.

“May isda pero nasa bandang municipal water. In-allow sa kanila yung maliit na bangka. Ang capacity naman niyan napakaliit. Nasa mga dalawang ice shelves lang yan o mga hanggang tatlong banyera. Not enough para supplyan ang canning factory na nangangailangan ng mas malaking volume,” CSAP vice president Ed Lim said.

(There are fish but they are inside the municipal waters. They only allow small boats whose capacity is very low. It can only fill two ice shelves or three tubs. Not enough to supply the canning factories that require big volumes.)

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said the months-long closed fishing of “tamban” will start in the Zamboanga Peninsula from December to March.

This will cause further problems in supply and could spike prices, CSAP warned, adding the prices of other raw materials for production have already increased. Among these are tin cans which now sell at around P3 to P4 higher than their original price.

“Crucial ito sa manufacturer. September, October, November, dito kami nag build up ng inventory para 'yun ang ibebenta namin during closed fishing ng December, January, February. Baka magka-shortage ng de lata kung hindi kami makapag-buffer stock ng enough inventory,” Lim said.

(This is crucial for manufacturers. We usually build our inventories in September, October, and November so we can sell during the closed fishing season in December, January, and February. There may be a shortage in canned sardines if we cannot have enough buffer stock for our inventory.)

Several manufacturers have stopped producing canned sardines due to the increase in production costs, he added.

“From P26 per kilo ng tamban during the pre-pandemic, last week from P39 umakyat na ng P40 per kilo. Tumaas din ‘yung fuel natin,” said Lim.

(From P26 kilo of tamban during the pre-pandemic, last week it rose to P40 per kilo from P39. Fuel prices also surged.)

BFAR earlier denied there is a shortage of “tamban” supply in the country.

“Wala po kaming nakikita na posibilidad na ito ay magkulang, dahil ayon sa aming pagtatala, ang sufficiency level ngayon ay mahigit 200%,” BFAR chief information officer Nazzer Briguera said.

(We do not see the possibility there will be a shortage in the supply because according to our data, the sufficiency level is now at 200%.)

Briguera also said there are circumstances where commercial fishing vessels are allowed to fish inside the municipal waters.

“Sa na-amyendahang batas ng Pilipinas, may sinasabi naman na maaari silang makapangisda ... pero kailangan mapapayag ang local government unit,” he added.

(In the amended Philippine Fisheries Code, it is stated that commercial fishing vessels are allowed to fish...  as long as the local government approves it.)—Sundy Locus/LDF, GMA News