MARKET ASSISTANCE SERVICES PROJECT PROFILE 1 I.

PROJECT TITLE: PRICE MONITORING OF FISH & FISHERY PRODUCTS

II. RELEVANT SUB-MAJOR FINAL OUTPUT - Production Support Services - Market Development Services - Information Support Services III. SUB-SECTORAL COVERAGE - Commercial Fisheries - Municipal Fisheries - Aquaculture - Post-harvest IV. LOCATION - Nationwide V. OBJECTIVES: 1. To monitor prices of top 15 fresh fish in different fish landing sites/ports, regional food terminals, barangay food terminals, supermarkets, and supermarkets. Below are the targeted top 15 fresh fish commodities preferred by consuming public: 1-a. Tilapia 1-I. Pusit 1-b. Bangus 1-j. Alumahan 1-c. Dalagang Bukid 1-k. Salay ginto 1-d. Galunggong 1-l. tambakol 1-e. Tamban 1-m. Samaral 1-f. Hipon/Sugpo 1-n. Hasa-hasa 1-g. Yellowfin Tuna 1-o. tawilis 1-h. Alimango 2. To determine the rise and fall of prices of various fresh fish commodities and the factors that contribute to it. 3. To submit weekly reports with observations and recommendations to the BFAR management. 4. To disseminate updates of monitored prices to QC LGU, media, consuming public and other interested parties; 5. To attend meetings, consultations, conferences, congress, and other venue of discussion relative to prices of fish and fishery products. RATIONALE: The rise and fall of prices of fresh fish and fishery products is basically the function of supply and demand. In fisheries the demand is increasing yet the supply is maintained if not decreasing.

High demand for fish and fishery products brought about by the following: 1. Fresh fish and fishery products markets has been expanded globally, brought about by the so-called globalization. Foreign selling missions and trade shows continually promote fish and fishery products to foreign buyers; 2. Consumers preference for fish and fishery products over meat and meat products for health reasons; 3. Increasing institutional buyers which are mainly fish processors who wished to add-value to their products and joined export markets; 4. Building of malls. Mall owners buy directly from fish producers; 5. Fish producers operate stalls in wet markets and sell fish and fishery products directly to consumers; 6. Booming tourism in the country; and 7. Industrialization of the Philippine national economy. Low supply of fish and fishery products due to: 1. Decreasing fishery resources due to competing use of freshwater, brackishwater and marine waters, especially municipal fisheries brought about by the industrialization coupled with tourism. Rice fields are turned into industrial estates, subdivisions, shopping malls, factories, etc., municipal waters are developed into resorts. Rivers, springs, lakes are tapped for hydroelectric plants; factories and industrial establishments at river banks drained their wastes into the river system killing the river and all the living things in it. Mining, especially open-pit mines drained tailings into the nearby rivers, brooks, and streams. 2. Underproductive and abandoned fish ponds for lack of operational capital; 3. Fish producers diversified into other business, for example, from fishing to malling; from aquaculture to fish processing; and production to trading; etc., 4. Low catch and production brought about by climate change; 5. Reduction of fish production in lakes and seas due to fish kills; 6. Lack of investments even available credit for fish producers; 7. Lack of assistance and interventions for increased fish production from the government. Observation: FIDSD has observed in its day to day market encounter with producers and buyers, the change in the Philippine fisheries marketing system. Traditionally, fisheries marketing is characterized by layers; and these layers have been identified as the cause of the high price of fish and fishery products in the markets. Presently, these layers in the marketing of fish and fishery products were eliminated in two ways: (1) producers sell directly to buyers; and (2) buyers buy directly to producers; both have no effect on the rise and fall of prices in fish and fishery products. Thus, we conjectured that the prices of fish and fishery products are governed by non-production factors, but external market elementspresent prevailing market price, among others. Before, Navotas and Malabon are the two destinations of fresh fish be it coming from fishponds or seas. Today, however, this has changed. Fish producers bring their products to the nearest markets considering the high cost of fuel. This was also facilitated by the establishment of Barangay Food Terminals (BFT) and Regional Food Terminals (RFT) all over the country. Consequently, fish harvests in the local communities are either sold to traders-on-site or brought to the nearest BFT/RFT.

The above-scenario is validated by the low-volume of fish and unloaded to Navotas and Malabon. As such, the natural consequence is a higher price of fish and fishery products in those wholesale and retail markets, even in wet markets outside Navotas and Malabon. In the Supermarkets, prices of fresh fish and fishery products are much higher than those sold in wet markets even if they are direct sellers to public consumers, because of add-on higher overhead cost incurred in obtaining and selling products. In the case of fish producers who operate stalls in wet markets, thus directly sell their products to consumers also pricing of their fish and fish and fishery products is dictated by the present prevailing market prices, which by the way very difficult not to go with for it means bigger profit margin for them. In retrospect, the elimination of market-layers does not lower the price of fish and fishery products as in the case of fish producers who sell directly to consumers thru stalls operation in the wet markets. Rather, the rise and fall of prices of fish and fishery products is observably dictated by the external market forces. Given the above, FIDSD shall continually conduct price monitoring of fresh fish commodities and fishery products to validate the propositions on the Philippine fisheries marketing system. VI. PROJECT DESCRIPTION Fish price trend is important especially in projecting the supply and demand of fish and fishery products. As part of the Market Driven Fisheries Development Program, a continuous monitoring of prices of fish and fishery products in selected fish landing sites/ports, wet markets and supermarkets in Metro Manila will be conducted to come up with actual and updated information on the prices of fish and fishery products. Regional prices will be collected in coordination with the designated focal persons. VII. METHODOLOGY OF PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION The project will provide information services on the price trend of fresh fish commodities in the market. This is in coordination with all BFAR Regional Offices thru its Focal Person and the Local Government Units in Metro Manila Area. Considering also the need to get the wholesale prices of fish, landing fish port areas will also be monitored. Commodities (15) to be monitored will be specific and categorized as to fresh and/or live. The regions will have to submit monitored prices weekly through emails. Daily prices will be consolidated and submitted to the Director. This will then be compared and analyzed through a graphical data form and written report (market reports based on actual conduct of price monitoring) projecting the supply and demand of each commodity. Actual market survey will be conducted covering at least one wet market and supermarket at the North, East, West and South area of Metro Manila. The enumerators will be given monthly allowances to cover transportation expenses. Price consolidated will be post at the bulletin board daily for everybodys consumption.

A. PERSONNEL COMPLEMENT NAME PILAR F. FONTELAR, Ph.D. MARLENE G. CALAGIAN MARY ANN B. DELA CRUZ ADRIAN R. MANALAYSAY JHONA MAE M. SETUBAL ALEX C. DIONISIO SARAH JANE MAGBANUA B. SCHEDULE OF IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIVITIES Conduct of Daily Price Monitoring in Metro Manila Wet Markets & Supermarkets Conduct of Daily Price Monitoring in the Regions (Wet Markets) 15 Regions Weekly Submission of Price Monitored Data (Report) Field Visits to Fish Ports Lucena Fish Port Gen San Fish Port Complex Sual Fish Port Davao City Fish Port Camaligan Fish Port Zamboanga Fish Port Iloilo Fish Port Consultation Meeting on Price Monitoring Jan Feb

POSITION Division Chief Senior Aquaculturist Aquacultural Technician (COS) Administrative Aide V (COS) Administrative Aide V (COS) Administrative Aide V (COS) Administrative Aide V (COS)

% OF INVOLVEMENT 20 45 5 15 5 5 5

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

C. FUNDING REQUIREMENTS (000 P)

ACTIVITIES Conduct of Daily Price Monitoring in Metro Manila Wet Markets & Supermarkets Conduct of Daily Price Monitoring in the Regions (Wet Markets) 15 Regions Weekly Submission of Price Monitored Data (Report) Field Visits to Fish Ports Lucena Fish Port Gen San Fish Port Complex Sual Fish Port Davao City Fish Port Camaligan Fish Port Zamboanga Fish Port Jan
18

Feb
18

Mar
18

Apr
18

May
18

Jun
18

Jul
18

Aug
18

Sep
18

Oct
18

Nov
18

Dec
18

135

135

135

135

135

135

135

135

135

135

135

135

12 36 12 36 12 36

Iloilo Fish Port Consultation Meeting on Price Monitoring Purchase & acquisition of equipment

32 66 80

FUNDING REQUIREMENTS (DETAILED) Particulars Amount Central Office Enumerators Allowance P150 x 1 4pax x30 days x 12 months 216,000.00 Regional Enumerators Allowance P150x2 pax x 2 30 days x 12 months x 15 Regions 1,620,000.00 Travelling Expenses (field visit to 8 Major Fish 3 Ports in the Country) Lucena, Sual, Camaligan P6,000 x 2pax x 3ports Iloilo Fish Port P16,000 x 2pax General Santos City, Davao & Zamboanga City P18,000 x 2pax x 3ports Quarterly Consultation Meeting with Regional 4 Enumerators P550 (lunch & snacks) x 30 pax x 4meetings 5 Equipment one (1) unit desktop computer with printer GRAND TOTAL VI. Target Beneficiaries Producers Consumers Researchers Other Fishery Stakeholders 80,000.00 2,158,000.00 36,000.00 32,000.00 108,000.00

66,000.00