Caraga seafood prices vary sharply between coastal, inland towns

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur — How much consumers pay for seafood in the Caraga region depends heavily on whether they live by the sea or deep inland, regional market data showed.

A price monitoring report by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) Caraga revealed a stark economic divide during the second week of October: coastal towns enjoyed cheaper marine catches, while landlocked communities paid steep premiums to cover long-haul logistics and cold storage.

In the landlocked commercial hub of Bayugan City in Agusan del Sur, whole yellowfin tuna sold for P350 to P360 per kilogram. Neighboring San Francisco sold whole yellowfin at P280 per kg.

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In contrast, coastal ports closer to municipal fishing grounds offered the same pelagic fish for far less. Whole yellowfin traded at P200 per kg in Dapa on Siargao Island, P240 per kg in San Jose, Dinagat Islands, and as low as P140 per kg in Butuan City.

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A similar price disparity affects inland shellfish consumers.

READ: Local seafood industry books P31.68B deals in Spain

In San Francisco, Agusan del Sur, small to medium blue swimming crabs (alimasag) reached P380 per kg — more than double the P160 per kg recorded in the coastal trading hubs of Tandag, Bislig and Butuan cities.

Whiteleg shrimp showed a comparable inland markup. Medium-sized shrimp fetched P360 per kg in Bayugan City, significantly higher than the P250 per kg recorded in coastal Bislig City and P300 per kg in Tandag City. Large shrimp in San Francisco commanded some of the region’s highest prices, at P380 to P400 per kg.

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For everyday wild catches like round scad (galunggong), island access offered the best relief. San Jose in Dinagat Islands recorded medium galunggong at P140 per kg, while consumers paid P180 per kg in Bayugan City, P180 to P200 per kg in San Francisco, and P220 per kg in Tandag City.

Whole skipjack tuna (gulyasan) remained cheapest at primary coastal landing sites, selling for P100 to P120 per kg in Butuan City and P120 per kg in Surigao City, San Francisco and Dinagat Islands, before reaching P160 per kg in Bayugan City.

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Edible seaweed, locally known as lato, sold for P70 per kg in Bislig City and P80 per kg in Surigao City, before climbing to P120 per kg in inland Bayugan City and topping out at P160 per kg in Butuan City. /mcm