Philippine Tuna Exporters Bullish Over Tuna Laboratoryff
20 October 2005
Philippines Tuna exporters in the Philippines expect to get a bigger share of the growing global market of tuna products with the planned construction of a new quality testing laboratory for tuna at the fish port complex.
Marfenio Tan, president of the Soccsksargen Federation of Fishing Associations and Allied Industries Inc., said the installation of the tuna laboratory will enhance the capability of local tuna producers to comply with various international quality standards.
â€We can now focus on increasing our shipments and eventually expand our markets,†he said.
Last week, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) announced the allocation of some P3.5 million (US$62,670) for the construction of a laboratory for the quality testing of tuna.
The fund for the laboratory would be provided by the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA). BFAR initially forged a memorandum of agreement with Dole Philippines for the temporary use of the latter’s laboratory by tuna producers for a minimum fee.
Earlier this year, the fishing federation also tied up with BFAR for the acquisition of additional equipment for the fish laboratory in barangay Lagao.
The purchase of histamine and heavy metals analyses equipments was funded by the Tuna Canners Association of the Philippines.
Tan said their group had been lobbying for the installation of the modern laboratory facilities for the testing of tuna and other marine export products in compliance with the requirements set by major tuna markets such as the European Union (EU) and the United States (US).
Among them is the EU plans to raise by 2006 the allowable maximum lead content on fish to a higher 0.02 parts per million (ppm) from the present 0.05 ppm.
Lead is among the heavy metal contaminants that are being watched by the EU. The presence of such toxic chemicals in the aquatic environment was earlier identified as the potential cause of contamination of fish products.
The EU import regulation cites that “fishery products must not contain in their edible parts contaminants present in the aquatic environment such as heavy metals and organochlorinated substances.†Tan said their members, which include seven of the country's eight tuna canneries, have been continuously upgrading their operations to meet the required quality standards.
He said the government has been facilitating training for the implementation of fish quality enhancement measures such as the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point or HACCP, Good Manufacturing Practices or GMP, Sanitation Standard Operating Procedure or SSOP and the proper fish handling techniques on-board commercial fishing vessels.
â€The results have been so far very favorable for the industry because the tuna rejections from the markets have been considered minimal compared to the previous years,†he said.
This city, which has been dubbed as the country’s tuna capital, is currently leading the country’s tuna shipments. Aside from EU and US, local tuna products are being exported to Japan and the emerging Middle East markets.
