MANILA, Philippines — The retail price of round scad or galunggong remains high despite the importation of 30,000 metric tons (MT) of fish, farmers’ group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) said yesterday.

“We are puzzled that despite the importation, the retail price of round scad is high. It is still more than P200 per kilo,” SINAG chairman Rosendo So said in a radio interview.

Based on monitoring of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Metro Manila markets, the retail price of local round scad ranged between P240 and P320 per kilo and imported round scad, between P200 and P260 per kilo.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has approved the additional importation of 8,280 MT of frozen small pelagic fish after he previously allowed the importation of 30,000 MT of fish.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said the closed fishing season in fish spawning areas in the country started in November and will end mid-March 2025.

The volume of fish imports this year is eight percent higher than the 35,000 MT imported in 2023.

The sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance for the additional fish import volume will be issued until Dec. 16mnl168, and fish imported during these SPSICs must arrive in the country Jan. 30 next year.

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