The slowdown of exports and the temporary closures of restaurants and hotels due to the pandemic have left the country’s agriculture sector with a different kind of crisis: how to offload an overwhelming surplus of meat, vegetables and fish. In fisheries, those bearing the brunt are the fisherfolk relying on canneries and export markets. Prized seafoods such as squid and grouper (lapu-lapu) are now being sold at almost half the price, or at P250 from P350 a kilo and P180 from P260 a kilo, respectively.

Ocampo, K. R. (2020, April 27). Fowl play: PH farmers raise alarm over meat, fish, veggie glut. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. B3.