Matilde Melicent Santos-Recto
The study was designed to determine the status of the catfish industry in the two northern cities of Nueva Ecija through the supply-demand chain connectivity design using a quantitative Likert scale-based survey and a qualitative Focus Group (FGC) methodology. It was found out that the chain was highly contiguous within the area as no outside players were found. There were two short chains that were determined, the direct express chain and the single node chain. Both chains comprise the same players and only differ in the positioning of the market connecting nodes. The areas of improvement were strategic and transactional partnerships, particularly in financial management, feedback, and technical support. Overall, the efficiency of the chain is low, while its flexibility and market responsiveness are high. The chain highly needs institutional support, particularly, from the local government units and national fishery divisions and institutions doing research and extension activities in freshwater aquaculture. The lack of policy positions of the local government where the chain belongs provides for the self-sustenance of the chain making it highly vulnerable to market adjustments due to external abnormalities.