ROXAS City – Talaba or oyster farmers here can look forward to ample assistance to boost production and improve marketing.
With the city government, they are in talks with the Gerry Roxas Foundation and concerned government agencies.
“Ang Gerry Roxas Foundation – Hublag (GRF-HUBLAG) handa magbulig sa aton mga oyster/talaba farmers kag magagmay nga mangingisda nga mag-angkon sang dugang nga pangabuy-anan kag mapaayo ang produksyon, subong man ang marketing sang ila produkto,” said Mayor Ronnie Dadivas.
Dadivas and GRF-HUBLAG director Helen Rose Reyes also discussed a possible partnership for an oyster sauce plant with the help of the United States Agency for International Development and the Department of Science and Technology.
“Roxas City is known to many as the Seafood Capital of the Philippines. We continue to produce export-quality and the best tasting seafood,” said Dadivas.
Oysters are usually harvested in eight to 12 months. However, the growth period is mainly determined by the marketable size required. Production is either through the bamboo stake method or the shellstring method.
Region 6 is touted as the biggest producer of oyster, particularly Capiz/Roxas City.
But there are constraints such as the pollution in oyster on-growing sites and undependable seed supply.
Problems related to marketing include inadequate processing and packing systems; lack of product-development efforts to produce innovative product forms to win new markets; and limited market demand and low prices./PN
