The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Central Visayas (BFAR-7) has acquired two reefer vans worth nearly PHP5 million that will be used to transport marine products in the region.

The two reefer vans are expected to address the problems of movement restrictions on fishery products due to the coronavirus pandemic.

BFAR-7 said on Friday the refrigerated vans could be used by fisherfolk or fish traders, especially the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), for easy transport and movement of their commodities.

The purchase of the two vans, which cost PHP2.49 million each, came in as an intervention to mitigate the impact of quarantine restrictions amid the coronavirus threat.

When the pandemic broke out, fish traders had difficulty transporting their commodities from their place to local markets due to heightened checkpoints and travel restrictions.

Florencio Aparri, head of the BFAR-7’s Fisheries Production and Support Services Division, said with the new reefer vans, the bureau can accommodate more fish traders maximizing the transport or movement of fishery commodities from the fish landing centers to local markets.

The intervention dubbed as the “BFAR on Wheels” is anchored to the “KADIWA ni Ani at Kita” program of the Department of Agriculture that aims to directly link the producers (fisherfolk) to the consuming public.

Through this, fishery commodities could be available to consumers at reasonable prices and accessible locations, Aparri said.

BFAR-7 has one existing reefer van that is being shared by its four provincial fishery offices.

Aparri said this development will support fishery production in the region, particularly in boosting the food supply here. (PNA)