EAGA Eyes High Value Aquaculture Projects
GENERAL SANTOS, THE
PHILIPPINES, May 2010 - PRIVATE sector officials from Brunei-
Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (Bimp-Eaga) have
identified possible joint-venture investment projects on high-value
aquaculture products.
They were identified at the business-matching sessions of the Bimp-Eaga
Business Conference on High-Value Aquaculture in General Santos,
Mindanao, recently.
Some companies from the Philippines, with a majority coming from
Mindanao, was able to work out nine possible business partnerships with
their Eaga counterparts, particularly on development of aquaculture
products such as soft-shell crab, pangasius, tuna, grouper and provision
of feeds, fingerlings, and marketing.
High-value aquaculture has been identified as one of the areas of
collaborations by the Bimp-Eaga Fisheries Working Group along with tuna,
sardines and seaweeds, a statement issued by the Mindanao Economic
Development Council (MEDCo) said yesterday.
The Philippines-Brunei partnership yielded two possible joint ventures
on establishing hatcheries for soft-shell crab in Brunei and Davao, it
said.
A joint venture on the supply of "degut" pangasius was also mooted, with
Socsksargen, a development zone encompassing provinces of south Cotabato,
Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City, supplying pangasius
to a company in Brunei.
The company will process pangasius into a halal product and market it in
the Middle East and other countries.
A Brunei-Philippines joint venture on offshore cage farming of grouper
fish was also recommended for exploration, distribution and
test-marketing of feeds.
Several joint-venture proposals on importation of feeds and fingerlings
were also identified by the Philippines and Indonesia private sectors
particularly in north Sulawesi.
A Philippines-Malaysia partnership on integrated seaweed development was
also suggested by the private sector representatives of both countries.
Fatima Ferdouse, INFOFISH Trade Promotion Department head in Malaysia,
said increased production of fish species such as pangasius and tilapia
had pushed global aquaculture output to new highs, contributing to
greater international and domestic trade. In a presentation at the
recent Bimp-Eaga Business Conference on High Value aquaculture, she said
the Philippines could take advantage of its potentials in "farming"
certain species to increase aquaculture production.
The Philippines ranked fourth in global aquaculture production with 2.4
million tonnes production in 2008, trailing behind China, India and
Indonesia. "Sustainable supply and competitive price will be key factors
for any country to be competitive in the high-value aquaculture trade,"
she said.
She said food safety and quality assurance were important issues that
need to be strengthened in developing countries.
- Courtesy of
the Brunei Times -
