18/07/2026
PH TO BUILD THREE MEGA HATCHERIES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY
| The Philippines will build three mega hatcheries for the first time in its history—one each in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao—each spanning 40 hectares and collectively expected to produce 1 billion bangus fry annually, ending the country’s near-total dependence on Indonesia for fry imports.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco “Kiko” Tiu Laurel made the announcement in an interview on DZRH News program “Special on Saturday” on July 18, as part of the DZRH SONA 2026 Series, saying the project addresses a critical gap in the country’s aquaculture supply chain.
“Ang kakulangan, ang ini-import natin sa Indonesia ngayon is almost 1 billion pieces of fry. So I said, why are we importing when we can produce it ourselves?” Secretary Tiu Laurel said.
He said the three facilities have been funded under the National Expenditure Program for 2027, with target completion by the end of next year, and that fry will be distributed to farmers at subsidized prices to avoid a culture of dependency while ensuring food security.