Cold weather affects bangus supply, price
BANGUS supply from Dagupan City, known as the Bangus Capital of the World, has gone down by as much as 20 percent in the past four weeks due to the prevailing cold weather.
City Agriculturist Emma Molina said the volume of bangus traded daily declined in January from the normal average of five tons to 3.8 tons.
She stressed, however, that the decreasse was not due to a fish kill but largely due to bangus growers’ tendency to be conservative during a cold climate,
A kilo of bangus is currently priced at P115 per kilo for wholesale trading and P120-P130/kilo for retail.
The usual retail price is between P80 to P90/kilo.
The situation is expected to normalize in March at the onset of the summer season. Supply and prices will again be affected in June when the rainy season starts as growers stock up less fingerling in case flooding occurs or there is excessive rain that could lead to zero salinity.
Molina explained that bangus eat slower when it’s cold, thus grow slower.
Normally, a harvest can be made in three and a half to four months but it now takes about four and a half months, she said.
OTHER ANIMALS
Meanwhile, Dr. Eric Perez, provincial veterinarian, said in a separate interview that animals, like humans, are vulnerable to diseases and suffer from respiratory problems.
“There are bacteria and virus that take advantage during cold season so animals must be given good shelter,” Perez said.
They must also be protected from the cold temperature, especially at night, he added.
There have been no report so far of abnormal animal deaths related to the weather, said Perez, as the public are well-informed on how to handle the situation.—Tita Roces
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