Ilonggo traders mull bringing 'bangus' to EU market
A top official of a German association of fish processors and fish wholesalers urged local milkfish producers to improve their processing and marketing strategies in order to penetrate the European Union.
Dr. Matthias Keller, managing director of the German Association of Fish Processors and Fish Wholesalers said producers need to "do something more" to boost their chances of accessing not only the German market but also other foreign markets.
Keller said there is a good chance for the Philippine bangus to have a niche in the European market. In fact, they have already received 10 samples of bangus products. However, it needs to pass the stringent standards on health and requirements on production, processing, marketing and trade.
Keller added that the product should not come only in conservative form. There should be changes. Bangus could be in form of fillet and other cuts to attract the foreign market.
He added that there should be competitive price for the bangus. Its tough competitor in the German market is herring. It sells much lower compared to bangus. Though, there are also times when the price of herring dropped.
Herring is a species of slab-sided, northern fish belonging to the family Clupeidae (order Clupeiformes). The name herring refers to either the Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus harengus) or the Pacific herring ( harengus pallasii). It is a slab-sided, northern fishes that are small-headed and streamlined with silvery iridescent sides and a deep-blue, metallic-hued back.
Keller along with other officials of the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) are here in the city to have a look on the milkfish industry here. GTZ has given technical assistance to the Iloilo Fish Producers Association Inc. to find ways to penetrate the potentially lucrative niche market.
According to Dr. Juergen Janssen, of the JLP Consulting, it is not impossible for the Philippine bangus to penetrate the European market. There is big market for seafoods in Germany. Janssen was hired as marketing consultant for the GTZ project.
Janssen said Germany is a big consumer of seafood products especially fish. It imports some 3 million tons of fish. They are looking for raw materials to sustain its fish needs. There should only be a successful introduction of new market.
Janssen explained that in foreign market, there price should be stable for the entire year as prices of commodities in the supermarket stays the same. The pricing of the commodity do not change abruptly. The importer should have a fix price for it.
According to Iloilo Fish Producers Association Inc. president Antonio Paulino Buyco, they were able to ship some 64 tons of milkfish in Europe since 2005.
Iloilo bangus entered Europe through an EU-accredited processing facility of Sta. Cruz Foods in General Santos City. Sta. Cruz Foods is one of the two EU accredited processing facility in the country. However, the bangus milkfish being shipped to Europe goes mainly to shops catering to Filipino and other Asians.
While, Nelson Sotomil, president of the Western Visayas Fish Producers Association said there are already facilities in Western Visayas such as a canning facility in Victorias for milkfish. The products are exported to the US market. They also went into value-adding through marination and bottling.