March 20, 2007

Philippine farmers switch to tilapia production in Mountain Province
 

Availability of new technology has prompted several Philippine farmers in Mountain Province to switch to tilapia production, as it allowed them to reduce labour costs and farm inputs.

993 farmers across the province, including many from the Natonin area, are currently involved in tilapia production, said Arsenia Bolasco of the Provincial Agriculturist Office.

Natonin has the biggest area of 5.46 hectares out of the total 17.49 hectares used for tilapia production in the province.

Rice-fish culture alternate is practiced in Barangays Bila, Banao and Guinzadan in the town of Bauko, where fish production takes place after harvesting the first crop of rice.

Cage culture is done in Gawaan Lake of the province's Tadian area.

Bolasco said the provincial government of Mountain Province has allocated 544,000 Philippine pesos (about US$11,200) since 2005 for procurement of tilapia fingerlings which have been distributed free to the fish farmers.

Additionally, the Bureau of Fish and Aquatic Resources has distributed 183,000 tilapia fingerlings without charge to the local fish farmers, along with 2,000 tilapia breeders to fish farmers in the Sabangan, Sagada, Tadian, Bontoc and Paracelis areas.