Fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) warned on Tuesday, March 31, that fish prices may further increase during Holy Week due to higher demand and rising fuel costs.

In a statement, the group said the ongoing oil price shock has “drastically increased” production costs in the fish trade, which could push retail prices higher.

Fernando Hicap, the chairperson of Pamalakaya, said the government’s failure to address the oil crisis would also affect consumers, particularly Filipino Catholics who abstain from meat during Holy Week.

“There were reports that retail prices of fish have already increased by 20 percent over the weekend. But we want to clarify that the high retail price of seafood never reflects the farmgate price, as fish traders procure them to small fisherfolk at a very low price,” he said

Pamalakaya lamented that while fuel costs for fisherfolk have increased by 120 percent, the prices of their produce remain low due to what it described as “control and underpricing” by fish traders.

It cited the case of blue crab (alimasag) in Manila Bay, which sells for around P500 to P600 per kilo at retail, but has a farmgate price of only P180 to P200 per kilo.

The group said it is monitoring fish prices in major ports in Manila Bay, including the Navotas Fisheries Port Complex and the Bulungan Seafood Market in Parañaque.

Earlier, Pamalakaya reported that most small fishers in Cavite have stopped going to sea due to high diesel prices. 

He said small fisherfolk in the province have been unable to sustain regular fishing for nearly a month as fuel costs rose by almost 120 percent in March, making it difficult to earn or recover expenses.