The Philippines ranks fourth in Asia in fishery product exports in an international fishery trade now shifting to “non-traditional” markets.
In the First Congress of the Integrated Services for the Development of Aguaculture (ISDA) held here yesterday, Remedios Ontangco of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) noted that “in international fisheries trade, the positive trend continued in 2010, but has now changed direction along global financial status.”
She cited a recent projection made by of international fisheries trade analysts showing that by 2020, the top five fisheries retail markets would be the United States, China, Japan, India and Russia.
“During the first quarter of this year, imports increased in traditional developed markets. But by mid 2011, the growth rates slowed down particularly in Europe and in the US markets,” she said.
Ontangco noted, however, an increase of fishery product exports from China, Norway, Thailand, Vietnam, India, and Malaysia “through market diversification where aquaculture played an important role.”
She said these emerging markets are in Asia, Latin America, and Africa.
