Tokyo, Japan – Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez, who also chairs the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), has approved the proposal of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to use at least P3-B of the P4-B loan fund of the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF) for the development of fish cage farming in the country.
Sec. Dominguez made the confirmation to the Agriculture Secretary of his support for the program during the visit of President Rody Duterte in Japan recently.
The proposal to fund fish cage farming using the “sleeping” ACEF Loan Fund kept by LBP is part of the Agricultural Catch Up Plan submitted by the DA to the Economic Team to contribute to the country’s economic growth for 2019 which was affected by the delayed approval and utilisation of the 2019 National Budget, the suspension of public works activities because of the national elections and the damage caused by El Niño.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Regional Directors have been tasked to submit proposals for the establishment of at least 300 large fish cages per region estimated to cost P1-M, including Bangus fingerlings, feeds and operational costs for 5 to 6 months until harvest.
Fish cage farming has proven to be a capital intensive but highly profitable aquaculture project in the country today with operators earning profits as much as 100% on their investments.
Several self-financed fish cage owners have established farms in the many coves of the country and are now producing hundreds of tons of Bangus everyday which are tastier than the inland and fishpond Bangus.
In addition to the Bangus, fish cage operators have also practiced a system where they seed the fish cages with fingerlings of Danggit and Kitang, bottom dwelling species which clean up the feeds which are not consumed by the Bangus.
Under the proposal to be submitted by the DA-BFAR to the LBP Chair, individual fish cage operators will be allowed to borrow P1-M while cooperatives and associations will be given access to P5-M.
With these loan funds, fish cage operators could harvest twice a year and are expected to increase Bangus production by 120,000 metric tons every year with a market value of P12-B.
This does not include the additional income earned by the fish cage operators from the “sweeper” species like Danggit and Kitang which are also harvested alongside the main produce which is Bangus.
The BFAR directors have been ordered to form loan facilitation teams with the help of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) to assist prospective applicants in accomplishing all the documentary requirements for the loans.
They have been directed to submit the names of all the loan applicants by June 15 and coordinate with the heads of the LBP Lending Centres in their regions.
The ACEF is a fund collected by the Department of Finance through the Bureau of Customs from tariffs imposed on imported agricultural products.
It was, however, tainted with corruption in the past where borrowers who had connections in government were able to access the ACEF loans without paying back.
Senator Cynthia Villar, chair of the Agriculture and Environment Committee of the Senate, led the group of Senators who reformed the ACEF limiting the amount to be borrowed to P1-M for individual borrowers and P5-M to cooperatives and farmers or fisherfolk associations.
The total amount of the ACEF now is at P5-B with P500-M going to scholarships, P500-M for research and development programs and P4-B for loans.
Since its reactivation, however, the access rate for the loan has been very low.
(Photos show the fish cages in Malalag, Davao Occidental and in Calape, Bohol, some of the most successful operations of fish cages in the country.)
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