The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Bataan, Philippines is teaming up the world's largest manufacturers of feed, Thailand-based Charoen Pokphand Group (CP), to tender expert aid to local fishermen.
A technical team from CP has just finished a visit to the province, in order to conduct an initial assessment and to provide consultancy services to the Pangasius fish industry there.
In addition the team will hold educational training for interested Pangasius growers in the province, with the aim to create more efficient and productive operational fishponds.
The Department of Trade and Industry has been encouraging the aquaculture sector to invest in Pangasius propagation because the fish has been proven to be a good raw material in the many types of processed foods.
DTI Undersecretary, Merly Cruz explained that pangasius was considered the third most important fresh water fish as it can be grown locally and can be cultured in all sizes of habitat, from backyard to large scale.
Talking about the project, Cruz said "We intend to reduce the importation [of the fish], thus, we embarked on the Pangasius project purposely to also address the food security program of the government and to provide doable work programs and fundable livelihood projects to targeted income groups."
The large resources of multinational conglomerate CP Group are expecpted to provide a big boost for the propagation of the fresh water fish in the Bataan province.
This year CP Group had increased its investments in Philippines, as earlier reported on feedmachinery.com here.
In April this year they opened a 60,000 tonnes per annum aquafeed mill in Samal, Bataan.
The aqua feed mill bulit at a cost of P2.8 billion (USD$67 million) produces fish and shrimp feeds for local fishpond operators and owners.
