Europe Seen To Open More Doors For Philippine Tuna Productsff

The chance of fisheries products from General Santos, especially tuna, to further penetrate the vast European Union market will be given a boost as global experts would render significant insights to strengthen trade outflow to that foreign grouping.

This city, dubbed the “Tuna Capital of the Philippines”, is hosting an international conference on food fisheries standards training on April 22 to 24.

More than 60 foreign delegates and 150 Filipinos are expected to attend this training, which has traditionally been held in several countries all over the globe, organizers said.

Mayor Pedro B. Acharon Jr. said the local government unit (LGU) is fully backing the event to ensure a successful gathering that would redound to the benefit of the local fishing industry.

”We have already directed concerned local government agencies to link up with the Bfar-12 [Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Central Mindanao] to provide the necessary support to this undertaking,” the mayor said.

The three-day training seeks to provide participants with understanding of the European Union regulations and standards.

It will also serve as a venue to clarify issues and problems in the implementation of food safety and quality measures for fishery products that are intended for the European market.

The event is a joint undertaking of the Department of Agriculture (DA), the European Consortium and the European Commission.

Sani D. Macabalang, regional Bfar director, said in an interview that the training is expected to capacitate local fishing industry players with the requirements of the European market.

”This event will further open the doors for our local fisheries products like tuna in the European market,” he said.

Macabalang noted that the European Union has already accredited the local tuna industry last year, but this upcoming training will further enhance their understanding on how to increase export to that foreign market.

In a 26-page document, the Union’s mission team concluded that majority of the establishments they visited here more than a year ago has satisfactory hygiene and structural condition.

Part of efforts in the locality that were made to meet the standards of the European Union was the expansion works at the 32-hectare General Santos Fish Port Complex at Barangay Tambler here worth P1.4 billion.

Expansion works include the extension of the docking area spanning 1,500 meters, a wastewater treatment plan, a power substation and the installation of a port-handling equipment.

The European Union, aside from United States, is a major export destination of tuna products from this city, which hosts six of the country’s eight tuna canneries.

The European Union accounts for roughly 40% of the country’s exports of fresh and canned tuna, industry records show.

The Philippines annually produces approximately 400,000 metric tons of tuna with a value of P18 billion (some $330 million), about 85 percent of which (roughly P15 billion or $280 million) is exported to various regions, including Japan, United States and Europe, Bfar data showed.