CEBU CITY, Cebu, Philippines - In a move to help sustain the supply of seashells as raw materials or home furnishing and accessories, two export organizations here are set to embark on a "seashell farming project" around small islets in Cebu and other neighboring provinces. The Gifts Toys and Housewares Foundation Inc. in Cebu (Cebu-GTH), along with the Fashion Accessories Manufacturers and Exporters (FAME) will establish partnership with such government agencies as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to help realize the program within the year. According to Cebu-GTH President Ramir Bonghanoy, the demand for shell-based home furnishing items, including fashion accessories, remains very strong especially among such clients in foreign markets as the United States and Europe. "While we see bullishness in shell-based products, we also realize the need to help sustain the production of seashells because given that it is part of marine life, its supply may be endangered if we do not nurture them," said Bonghanoy in an interview recently.
The different kinds of seashells that are used for raw materials include Mother of Pearl and Trocas. Those, and other varieties are used in manufacturing different products including furnishings, accessories, and handbags, to name a few. Mother of Pearl shell comes in various species which are commonly used as raw materials by exporters. These include Gold Lip, Yellow Lip, Black Lip, Brown Lip, and Black Tab. "Culturing these shells is part of our advocacy to also help the illegal export of raw shells since this will adversely affect the industry," Bonghanoy said. He added that both export groups have already been informally talking about the details of the project and will soon make a proposal on the matter to pertinent local government units and government agencies. Initially, Cebu-GTH had identified certain islets in Cebu province and in coastal areas in Samar, Bohol, Negros, and Palawan as conducive sites for shell farming. Aside from the rising demand of shell raw materials, exporters are also facing competition with the ongoing export of raw shells or unprocessed shells to China. Conservatively, Cebu's export industry requires an average estimate of 10 to 12 tons of raw sea shells on a monthly basis. More, actually, are needed for the recovering fashion and home accessories markets. In Cebu, Bonghanoy said there are about 60 large export companies which are major users of seashells.
