Manila: Two farmers' associations in this city are now seeing the fruits of their labor after their cage culture of "ulang" (freshwater prawns) yielded bountiful results. In January this year, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Ilocos Norte released approximately 45,000 post-larvae prawns into five small water-impounding dams located in the villages of Mabaleng, Pimentel, Batac East, Magnuang, and Dariwdiw, with some cultured in cages maintained by farmers' associations. After more than six months, they are due for harvest.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Southern Pimentel Farmers' Association, one of the project's beneficiaries, stated that prawn farming has provided them with an alternative income source in communal bodies of water. Freshwater prawns, prevalent in Ilocos, Cagayan, and other parts of Northern Luzon, are a high-valued species that command a competitive market price ranging from PHP450 to PHP600 per kilo. They sell rapidly, especially to balikbayan (returning overseas Filipinos) and restaurant owners.

With the project's success, senior aquaculturist Vanessa Alimbuyuguen of BFAR-Ilocos Norte mentioned that more farmers throughout the province have shown interest in participating. To support the local production of freshwater prawns, Alimbuyuguen reported that the first ulang hatchery, funded under the provincial government's Sustainable Agroforestry Farm Enterprise-Bamboo Business Model (SAFE-BBM) program, is now fully operational in Barangay Nangguyudan in Paoay, Ilocos Norte. "The facility will provide a nearby source of post-larvae for fisherfolk who wish to venture into ulang culture," she stated.

Under the SAFE-BBM program, BFAR plans to distribute more aquaculture inputs and land dispersal to interested farmers' associations, aiming to promote inclusive and sustainable aquaculture development in the province.