Tilapia farming in Negros Oriental, especially in the upland areas, is now picking up with more people starting to appreciate and consume this particular type of fish, an official of the Provincial Agriculturist’s Office said Tuesday.

Emmanuel Caduyac, PAO officer-in-charge, told the Philippine News Agency in an interview that as part of the provincial government’s food security thrust, they are providing tilapia fries and feeds to these growers.

“We are intensifying our distribution of farm inputs such as rice, corn, and vegetable seeds, and also tilapia fries and feeds for upland fisheries,” Caduyac said in mixed English and Cebuano.

He said more people are now putting up tilapia ponds in the mountainous areas and many of them are requesting tilapia fries, mostly for their own personal consumption.

Caduyac said what is interesting is that a lot of people in the province are now getting used to eating tilapia unlike before when this type of fish was still unfamiliar to them, which is why there is now a demand for it.

The PAO has three tilapia hatcheries, namely, in Siaton, Bais City, and in this capital city, that are serving the province of Negros Oriental, he said.

The increase in tilapia growing in the province is also attributed to a new breed from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Bohol, known as Excel, that is “fast-growing and can be harvested in three to four months”.

Tilapia is sold at the local market here between PHP160 to PHP180 per kilo, Caduyac said. (PNA)