January 7, 2007

Philippine fisheries center entices investors with technology packages

The aquaculture department of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) in Iloilo province beckons investors through an agree-build-operate-transfer (ABOT) scheme.

SEAFDEC disclosed that private investors could choose from eight hatchery-nursery technology packages and eight grow-out technology packages.

With these packages, businessmen can invest as low as P30,000 (US$731)in a catfish grow-out operation to P2 million (US$48,000) in a freshwater prawn hatchery, with returns computed at 50 to 300 percent per year.

The ABOT packages for hatchery-nursery operations include abalone, mud crab, the marine fishes grouper, milkfish, sea bass and snapper, tiger shrimp, giant freshwater prawn, catfish, tilapia and bighead carp.

For grow-out culture packages, which include seaweed and tiger shrimp, the technologies are for the same species as those for hatchery-nursery.

The SEAFDEC said aquaculture investors in the Philippines would only to focus on business planning and marketing.

SEAFDEC's aquaculture department would ensure that the technology works, taking charge of the site selection and training of technicians to on-farm assistance and project evaluation.