Seafood prices hike due to virus

THE ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has bumped up seafood prices in the country due to increased supply chain complications and inflation, according to the PNG Fishing Industry Association (FIA).
FIA executive officer Jonathan Manieva said the weakening local currency had resulted in importers paying higher prices for foreign seafood.
Manieva was commenting on a National Research Institute paper on economic sector response strategies post-Covid-19. “While a negative in the short term, that increase in price could eventually benefit local aquaculture farmers in several locations in PNG,” he said.
“Aquaculture can play an essential role in feeding local communities post-Covid-19.
“Urban centres like Port Moresby and Lae (and others) despite relying on imports, the local retail and hotelier industry are managing to withstand the effects of Covid-19. The aquaculture production in the country can be targeted to be destined for local consumption.
“PNG’s aquaculture sector to continue being a critical component of the food chain – feeding local communities during the crisis – PNG (stakeholders) must strive to expand (local) fish markets and small restaurants.
“Currently, supply chain is massively influenced by the lockdowns, causing serious issues in feeding the people. Sector development agency like the National Fisheries Authority and Department of Agriculture and Livestock need to collaborate to work closely with the current farmers to ensure they have options to continue feeding to ensure fish
welfare, while minimising production costs in such uncertain times.”
On the flipside, small-scale aquaculture farms may benefit from reduced competition as focus changes to local supply over imports.
Currently, because of the increasing Covid-19 measures, governments have partially closed borders and imposed quarantines on visitors entering the country, causing massive disruptions to the seafood supply chains and trade, Manieva said.
“This trend has resulted in people having difficulty accessing a sufficient fish supply in the interim.”