Bangus, galunggong production down, tilapia up in third quarter

BANGUS (milkfish) and galunggong (round scad) production declined on a seasonally adjusted basis in the third quarter, while tilapia output rose, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported.

The PSA said bangus production for the three months to September was down 3.2% quarter on quarter at 83,940 metric tons (MT). This was the third consecutive quarter of declining milkfish output.

The PSA attributed the decline in bangus production to the low survival rate of fingerlings.

Seasonally adjusted galunggong production in the third quarter also decreased 0.2% to 40,430 MT. This reverses the 10% rise reported in the second quarter.

The PSA said weather disturbances brought down galunggong production.

Meanwhile, tilapia production inched up 0.6% in the third quarter to 79,220 MT, rebounding from a 1.6% decline in the second quarter.

Seasonally adjusted volumes, which strip out the effect of factors such as fishing regulations, harvest schedules and shifts in market demand, show the underlying trends in production, allowing for clearer comparisons across quarters. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel