T
he Philippine government said on Monday that it is keen on developing the local glass eel industry considering the huge demand for it in Japan and South Korea.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) said it will work with local eel growers to craft a blueprint or road map to make the country competitive in the lucrative export
market.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said in a statement that he recently met with local eel growers to discuss initial plans on how to develop the glass eel industry amid the dwindling supply of Anguilla japonica, the preferred eel variety in Japan and South Korea.
Local eel growers, for their part, expressed their interest in forming a group to boost their capacity to meet the required volumes for export.
Alcala said he instructed Agriculture Undersecretary for Fisheries Asis Perez to help local eel growers form an association. Perez, who is also national director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Bfar), was directed to assign a focal person from the agency.
The Bfar said the Philippines could initially earn P200 million from the export of glass eel. The attached agency of the DA said glass eel is also in demand in Taiwan.
Dr. Apolinario Yambot, dean of the Central Luzon State University-College of Fisheries, said Japan and South Korea are counting on tropical eel as substitute for the japonica species. Eel growers present in the meeting said the country could grow glass eels year-round, unlike in temperate countries.
Local eel growers, however, could not export to other countries because they require large volumes for eel imports. Currently, China provides the biggest export volumes for glass eel and Indonesia is also a big competitor.
Based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, the country produces 2,000 metric tons of eel annually.
The DA said there is a need to focus on research and development to help eel growers boost their output.