Aquaculture in the Philippines has reached the stage where its contribution to production, accessibility and consumption of fishery products is critical to food security, to the growth and development of the fishery sector and to meeting the nutritional protein requirements of both the rural and urban population. In past decades, the contribution of aquaculture to total fisheries production was level with that of commercial fisheries. Within aquaculture, freshwater aquaculture has emerged as the most promising sub-sector to propel the growth and development of aquaculture in the near future, considering its current performance and the vast inland resources of the country. Although production of farmed tilapia seemed to peak in 1994 and then declined, it has started to show signs of recovery in recent years. It is surprising that next to tilapia, carp, another freshwater species, is showing considerable potential for culture. With appropriate policies and support from research, the production of carp species will most likely reach the level of tilapia production, as fish farmers and consumers show increasing interest in and acceptance of carps due to their relatively low prices.
As the purchasing power of people in both urban and rural areas declines, it is only products from freshwater aquaculture that are more affordable to consumers. Tilapia and carp species are priced lower than most other aquatic products like milkfish, and much lower than meat products. If the price trend for meat products continues, most consumers, especially the poor, will have difficulty in meeting their daily protein requirements. It is equally alarming that consumers' total protein intake from fish is declining, despite the fact that fish constitutes a cheaper source of protein than meat. Government actions are limited mainly to hatchery operations and follow a policy of non-involvement in aquaculture grow-out operations to avoid competing with farmers' products in the markets. As a result, aquaculture, especially freshwater aquaculture, is expected to expand rapidly in the next few years. With a maturing freshwater aquaculture sector over the next five years or so, we expect a reversal in the share of protein intake from fish to total protein consumption in favour of fish.
In view of the increasing acceptance of freshwater fish as an alternative protein source, we expect increased demand for these products in the future. As producers expand productions to meet greater demand, consumers' access to these more affordable products will also expand. Retail outlets, even in shopping malls, have widened the market for aquatic products, especially in urban areas. Establishing networks for trading products from aquaculture in most producing areas of the country would facilitate a continuous flow of products from producers to markets and to consumers. Nevertheless, cold storage facilities are sorely needed to support the post-harvest requirement for aquaculture producers. As an island-nation, the Philippines has a need to locate these post-harvest facilities strategically so that products from surplus areas can be moved and marketed in areas of deficit without much loss in quality of the products.
Comparative reviews of performance, resource base and current policies in aquaculture show that opportunities exist for the government to improve farm productivity through the promotion of appropriate production and extension technologies and policy modification and to ensure that aquatic products are accessible even to poor consumers. Government can support and encourage the contribution aquaculture makes to the economy through:
