Analysis of the Export Competitiveness of Fresh and Frozen Tuna in the Philippines, 1997-2021

Date

6-2023

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics

College

College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Julieta A. Delos Reyes

Committee Member

Agham C. Cuevas

Abstract

The Philippines is a large fishing nation because of its diverse maritime environment. In 2016, tuna is the fifth-largest agricultural export from the nation at the time, worth USD 277.5 million while in 2018, tuna was the biggest export product with fish and fishery goods exports totaling USD 492 million. Of the 21 species of tuna present in the Philippines waters, 6 species are caught commercially: yellowfin, skipjack, eastern little tuna, Frigate, big eye, and bullet with yellowfin, skipjack, and bigeye as the country's most exported tuna species. The General Santos Fish Port Complex (GSFPC), which is accredited bu the European Union (EU), Japan, and the United States, is the largest and most active tuna landing port in the Philippines with 189,944.2 mt of fresh and frozen tuna landings in 2017.

In the Philippines, there is declining tuna supply since fewer tuna are present in the permitted fishing grounds due to territorial restrictions, climate change, and overfishing- which has resulted in the fall in the quality and size of hand-line fish as well. Although the Philippines is actively exporting fresh and frozen tuna, the competitiveness of the industry is still not yet guaranteed especially in comparison to its competing countries - Thailand and Indonesia which is the top exporter and top producer respectively. By closing the information gap, both producers and consumers will be well-informed and help determine a competitive price for the tuna produce. It will assist in addressing potential issues with tuna handling, preservation, subsidies, and legislation implementation in the production and export business for fresh and frozen tuna. This study aimed to: (1) Describe the trends or patterns in tuna production and trade, (2) Identify the factors affecting the Philippine tuna production and export, (3) Analyze the price and quality competitiveness of the Philippine fresh and frozen tuna exports, and (4) Identify policy implications and provide recommendations to improve the competitiveness of the Philippine fresh and frozen tuna exports.

The study found that : (1) The volume of tuna production is highly dependent on the tuna stocks present in the waters, (2) GDP and the tuna export prices of Philippine, Thailand, and Indonesia greatly affect importing behavior of tuna importing countries, (3) Price competitiveness of Philippine tuna is evident given its positive RCA growth rate as compared to its top competitors, Indonesia, and Thailand, and (4) The Philippines is at par with standards set by importing countries.

Language

English

LC Subject

Exports, Tuna industry

Location

UPLB College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Call Number

LG 993.5 2023 A14 C37

Notes

Viewing access to electronic resources is restricted solely to UP Gmail accounts. Any access and share requests from external organizations and personal email accounts will be promptly declined.

Document Type

Thesis

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS