• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The municipality of E.B. Magalona in Negros Occidental is in the process of establishing a local blue swimming crab supply chain aimed at providing fisherfolk and crab pickers with a stable alternative market while expanding opportunities for value-added processing amid challenges in the export sector.
About 2,500 fisherfolk and crab pickers in the town’s various processing plants were affected by the ban of blue crab exports to the United States.
Vice Mayor Marvin Malacon said the initiative begins with the newly organized Madalag Pickers Association, which was formed two weeks ago and has already secured accreditation from the Sangguniang Bayan.
Under the program, the association will operate a blue crab outlet in front of the municipal hall from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., allowing residents and tourists to purchase fresh blue crabs daily.
Malacon said the outlet is expected to create a direct marketing channel for local producers, reducing dependence on exporters while ensuring a consistent supply for consumers.
To minimize waste and increase income, unsold fresh crabs will be processed into higher-value products such as crab lumpia and crab relleno.
These products will be packaged and marketed to broader markets at regulated prices, the vice mayor said.
The local government also plans to provide P200,000 in livelihood assistance to qualified beneficiaries and conduct food processing and product development training to strengthen the association’s capacity for value-added production.
Malacon said E.B. Magalona produces up to five tons of blue crabs monthly during the peak season, providing enough supply to support both fresh sales and processed products.
The initiative received support from the Department of Agriculture-Negros Island Region (DA-NIR) led by Regional Executive Director Jose Albert Barrogo,
Barrogo said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has instructed them to assist communities affected by the slowdown in the blue swimming crab export industry.
Barrogo, who was among the more than 800 guests at the blue crab eat-all-you-can event on Aug. 1, commended the municipality of E.B. Magalona for developing a tourism-driven local marketing strategy that benefits fisherfolk impacted by declining exports.
He noted the strong public response during the program’s opening, with the available crab supply quickly selling out.
To further expand the market, Barrogo proposed bringing the promotion to Bacolod City during major DA events, including the Organic Festival and the Regional Organic Conference in November, to generate additional demand for locally produced crabs.
He estimated that sustaining such promotional activities could require around 500 kilos of blue crabs every Saturday or approximately two to three tons monthly.
Barrogo said the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources is working to address the issues that resulted in the suspension of Philippine blue swimming crab exports to the US.
Meanwhile, Third District Board Member Hope Marey Depasucat said the initiative goes beyond market development by promoting sustainable fisheries management.
She said the campaign encourages the protection of blue swimming crab stocks by discouraging the harvesting of juvenile crabs and berried female crabs, locally known as “bukaka,” helping ensure the long-term sustainability of the industry.
Depasucat welcomed the strong community support shown during the blue crab eat-all-you-can’s opening, expressing optimism that sustained local participation would help cushion the effects of the export slowdown on fisherfolk while strengthening the municipality’s emerging local crab supply chain. | GPB
