Giant talaba raised in BFAR Dagupan
THE biggest live oysters anyone can see are now in BFAR-National Integrated Fisheries Technology Development Center.
This message was posted by Dr. Westly Rosario, BFAR Dagupan center chief in his Facebook account.
Indeed, 22 giant talaba (oyster) brought from Malampaya, Palawan are being raised at the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) center in Barangay Bonuan Binloc, Dagupan City.
A shellfish technician shows a giant oyster being raised at BFAR-NIFTDC in Dagupan City. (Punchphoto by Jojo Riñoza)
They are called slippers oysters by laymen because of their shape but their scientific name is Crassostrea iredalei, Rosario said.
Based on their biometric sampling, the three biggest talaba weighs 1,375.84 grams, followed by 888.11 gms and 681.86 gms.
The top three have a height of 225 millimeters (mm), 185 and 143 mm respectively with a width of 108, 97 and 88 mm respectively.
They have a thickness of 72, 65 and 41 mm. and are about three to four years old.
The 22 pieces will be crossed to another strain at the BFAR Center here.
As the focal person of the National Shellfish Industry Development Program, Rosario sought the help of the Norwegian Embassy for an intervention program for shellfish producers, especially women for their livelihood.
Rosario said in a presentation he made that there are seven oyster species endemic in the Philippines, four of them with commercial value. These are the talabang tsinelas, kukong kabayao, pulid-pulid and kulot.
Talabang tsinelas is the most abundant in the Philippines.
Citing statistics, the top five oysters-producing provinces in the Philippines with annual production are: Capiz (5,979.49 metric tons), Bulacan (5,031.86MT), Pangasinan (4,110.04 MT), Iloilo (1,110.84 MT) and Negros Occidental (886.83MT).
Philippine oysters are grown for domestic consumption. Oyster meat is processed into oyster paste. Shells are powdered as calcium supplement for poultry and livestock industry
One can or 20 liters of oysters in shells costs from P300 to P350. One sack or 50m kilograms of large whole oyster costs P1,000 while shucked oysters are sold in 250-gram can at P10 to P30. (Eva Visperas)
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
