Bohol Capitol to meet with traders to discuss high fish prices

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – The Bohol Provincial Government gathered fish traders and consolidators on Tuesday, Feb. 13. to discuss concerns on the high cost of fish there.

The meeting was scheduled ahead of another gathering that Governor Erico Aris Aumentado would soon call to identify interventions that would address the concern, the provincial government said in an advisory.

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Also present during the February 13 meeting were Provincial Administrator Asteria Caberte, Provincial Agriculturist Liza Quirog and officials of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), among others.

During the meeting, possible interventions were identified like the implementation of a fish buyback program and the provision of commercial fishing boats and cold storage facilities.

Earlier, the presence of a fish cartel was blamed for the expense cost of fish sold in the province.

Aumentado has made a campaign promise to bring down the prices of fish in their province.

READ: DOT takes action on ‘overpricing’ of seafood in Virgin Island, Bohol

Meanwhile, Local Price Coordinating Council (LPCC) also convened its members at the Capitol last February 5 to discuss issues related to price monitoring and the need to reactivate their municipal counterparts.

LPCC discussions included the need to review the council’s composition, the need to market hogs and surplus pork products outside their province, the need to intensify rice and vegetable production and the need to ensure food sufficiency amidst threats brought about the El Niño phenomenon.

“The council also agreed to create a unified online file system where agency members can input their data, monitor, and identify trends or significant product changes affecting each good in the market,” the provincial government said.

LPCC has so far started to reconvene their counterparts in the municipalities of Jagna and Maribojoc.

On Thursday, Feb. 15, Gov. Aumentado is set to call a meeting to discuss and expound a memorandum that he recently signed which mandates the reactivation of the local councils.