Low supply of bangus, tilapia in Obando market after fish kill

After 11 barangays in Obando, Bulacan were hit by fish kill over the weekend, only a few fresh tilapia and bangus were available at the local fish wholesale market on Tuesday, according to a report on Unang Balita by Victoria Tulad.

Most vendors were selling mussels, shrimps, and crabs.

On Monday morning, there were still some fresh bangus and tilapia coming in, but no new deliveries arrived Monday night.

Lolita Guarda, who used to buy 10 banyera or pans of bangus and tilapia, was able to buy only two pans on Tuesday.

She also said the price for the bangus and tilapia went up by P15 per banyera.

Other regular customers were not able to buy any more fresh tilapia or bangus on Tuesday morning.

Some vendors still had stocks of bangus and tilapia which came in the other day. However, since these were not fresh anymore, customers were not buying them despite the drop in price from P115 per kilo to P50 to P70 per kilo.

A vendor said they stand to lose about P50,000 per 1,000 kilos due to the low sales.

Supply of fish is expected to go back to normal in a month's time. However vendors said prices may be higher by then as fishpond owners try to recoup their losses incurred this month.

Christian Marquez, one of the vendors at the fish wholesale market, said fish kills also occurred in previous years especially in the month of May due to the hot weather.

Tilapia and bangus which died from the fish kill are being brought to the fish wholesale market to be sold at P200 per banyera as feeds for catfish and crabs. 

In a separate interview on GMA News TV's Balitanghali, Freddy Sta. Maria, officer-in-charge of the municipal agricultural office of Obando, said other nearby towns may supply bangus in the markets.

He said there are 30 to 40 fishpond operators who have been affected by the fish kill.

"Dito sa amin sa Obando, siguro lagpas 50 percent ang kaya naming iano... Mapupunan naman 'yan ng mga karatig na barangay namin sa Hagonoy, Bulacan, Bulacan, sa Calumpit... marami pa rin naman pong magsusupply ng bangus," Sta. Maria said.

Sta. Maria also advised fish pond operators to practice good aquaculture farming in order to avoid another incident of fish kill.

"Siguro 'yun nga ipractice nila 'yung good aquaculture farming, dapat sundin 'yun eh... 'yung tamang pagpapakain, 'yung sa tubig alagaan natin, wag tayo magtatapon ng kung ano-ano," he said. — with Anna Felicia Bajo/KG/RSJ, GMA News