Hinikayat ni Cong. Brian Yamsuan ang pamahalaan na paghandaan na ang export opportunities para sa tamban, matapos isama ng Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) ang tamban sa Codex Standard for Canned Sardines and Sardine-Type Products.
Aniya mahalaga na bigyan ang bawat municipal ports ng mga cold storage area at makabagong post-harvest facilities para mapayabong ang produksyon ng tamban at matulungang mapataas ang kita ng mga maliliit na mangingisda..
“We acknowledge and thank the efforts of the Department of Agriculture, through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI), in lobbying for the inclusion of ‘tamban’ in the Codex. This is certainly welcome news for our artisanal fisherfolk. The next step is to ensure that ‘tamban’ and other locally grown and caught fish remain competitive products in the export market by providing our fisherfolk with adequate facilities and equipment to preserve the quality of their catch, which, in turn, would allow them to sell these at higher prices,” ani Yamsuan.
Una nang sinabi ni Agriculture Sec. Francisco Tiu-Laurel na inaasahang sa pag e-export ng Pilipinas ng tamban ay makakahikayat ng mga mamumuhunan.
Umaasa naman ang kongresista na sa mga pamumuhunang papasok ay mapapasama ang modernong pasilidad para sa drying, canning at bottling ng ‘tamban’ lalo na para sa sardine fishing communities.
“Adding value to their catch by providing them adequate post-harvest facilities is a key factor in helping our small fisherfolk rise above poverty, along with providing support in accessing markets and training them on ensuring the sustainability of our marine resources,” saad niya.
Kabilang sa mga lugar na pinagkukunan ng tamban at iba pang sardine products ang Zamboanga Peninsula, Bicol at Northern Mindanao.| ulat ni Kathleen Forbes
