The Philippine Fisheries Postharvest and Marketing Sector: Status, Challenges, and Prospects Toward a Sustainable Value Chain

Abstract

Postharvest activities are an integral part of the fisheries value chain as they not only convert raw catch into safe, consumable, and marketable products to satisfy the diverse needs of a rapidly growing population but also serve as critical engines of employment generation and economic growth. The fisheries postharvest sector in the Philippines is structurally diverse because it ranges from traditional household- and community-based processing to highly industrialized, export-oriented facilities. Notwithstanding its critical role in value creation and food security, the sector has received comparatively limited policy attention and investment support relative to capture fisheries and aquaculture. As a result, longstanding structural barriers remain unaddressed, thereby delaying progress and constraining the realization of its full development potential. The Philippines has a strong production base but has yet to fully leverage this capacity by means of more efficient postharvest, logistics, and marketing systems. Drawing on national statistics, policy documents, and recent empirical studies, this review provides a thorough analysis of the current status of the Philippine fisheries postharvest and marketing sector, highlighting structural challenges, emerging opportunities, and prospects for sustainable development. It synthesizes developments in postharvest systems, food safety compliance, trade performance and outlook, research and development initiatives, as well as institutional and governance frameworks. A clearer understanding of these dimensions is important to deal with persistent constraints while strategically harnessing technological, institutional, and market-based opportunities to steer the sector toward a more inclusive, sustainable, resilient, and globally competitive fisheries value chain.

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