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Knowledge Portal/
Palawan Fish Sector
nets DOST Research Push
A
common service facility aimed at improving the quality of products and
processes for small-scale fish producers in Palawan will be
established through a joint research and funding package by DOST
agencies, Palawan provincial government, and local fish cooperatives.
The project dubbed "S&T Intervention for the Improvement of
Dried/Processed Fish Products Cum Establishment of a Common Service
Facility for Packaging of the Same at Puerto, Princesa, Palawan" is a
joint initiative of DOST’s Philippine Council for Industry and Energy
Research and Development, and Industrial Technology Development
Institute, which hooked up with the province’s economic enterprise
development office, Fishermen and Fish Vendors Multipurpose
Cooperative, and Liberty Fishermen Multi-Purpose Cooperative.
The project focuses on determining appropriate moisture content on
different fish varieties caught off Palawan waters. Special interest
is on lamayo, a product similar to liking of Brunei, which is a fish
fillet marinated in spicy vinegar-garlic mix and packed in
polyethylene bags.
Lamayo was identified by the Department of Trade and Industry in
Region IV as a potentially profitable indigenous delicacy of Palawan,
initially as pasalubong item.
Lamayo will be promoted under the brand development program of DTI’s
Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions. Members of
the fish cooperatives already underwent extensive training in an
effort to come up with standardized processing techniques for lamayo.
Palawan is reputed for its abundant seafood resources. Factors that
hinder the development of fresh seafood market include inadequate cold
storage, transportation, and infrastructure facilities.
Fish and marine products in Palawan are often dried, salted, and
processed into other forms like "daing". Traditional processing
methods are known to turn out limited shelf life and high wastage.
Poor packaging and lack of processing standard also result to inferior
product quality.
PCIERD funded and monitors the project and hopes that the research
work will produce positive economic impact on Palawan fisherfolk.
Cooperative representatives Frank Gonzaga and Hipolito Murcia earlier
expressed interest to establish a common service facility initially
through the Palawan provincial S&T center.
(Science and Technology Media Service,DOST)
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