The province of Bohol has planned to establish retail terminals to stabilize the supply of fish and fishery products to meet the demand without depending on the season.

Governor Arthur Yap on Tuesday said he requested the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to assist Bohol in acquiring seaweeds powder facility, cold storage facilities, ice-making machines, and ice crusher with fish bins.

In a letter to BFAR-7 regional director Allan Poquita, Yap said “even for our beyond service efforts to cater to the needs of the entire Boholano community, we are still having gaps in the production chain of the industry”.

He cited that Bohol to date still strives to achieve self-sufficiency in fish supply.

The provincial government has counterpart for the rehabilitation of the fishponds for bangus and tilapia through the acquisition of equipment through bank financing worth PHP54 million, and the construction of a fish feed mill worth PHP12 million.

The province is eyeing to establish the retail terminals in strategic locations to cater to the marketing needs of the producers and processors.

The governor also sought the support of BFAR to finance the establishment of a seaweed powder facility to process the extender to be used in the processing of meat and fishery products, and the waste for the production of feeds to both livestock and fishery.

Yap said Bohol also needs cold storage facilities to extend the lifespan of marine fish catch and processed products in the major fishery areas in Ubay, Mabini, Talibon, Getafe and Tubigon, including the ice-making machines and ice crusher with banyera.

To complete the value chain process, Yap also requested the establishment of fish and other fishery products processing facilities for bangus and tilapia.

The establishment of agri-fishery retail terminals requires PHP35.986 million to be funded by the provincial government, in coordination with other funding institutions and local government units.

The total budget for the procurement of a refrigerated storage of fish and fishery products is pegged at PHP14.75 million proposed to be sourced from BFAR. (PNA)