PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan (PIA)–The low production of rice harvest experienced in July influenced the acceleration of food inflation in Palawan and Puerto Princesa City, said the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Officer-in-charge (OIC) Supervising Statistical Specialist Donna Marie Mobe shared during the inflation report on Tuesday that rice is the top commodity that contributed to the inflation of Palawan and Puerto Princesa City, with 14.2 percent and 22.3 percent rates, respectively.
“Kung titingnan natin ang naging presyo sa rice, medyo per kilo, mas tumaas. Possible kasi na baka kulang, wala masyadong harvest kaya sa month ng July ay hindi pa masyado karami ang production,” she said.
The food weighs 50 percent of the market basket and influences the uptrend of an inflation rate of the area as a result, Mobe explained, adding that the food commodities contributed to the food inflation are leafy or stem vegetables and meat of pigs.
The fast movement in rates of electricity and rentals during the month of July also made July’s inflation accelerate to 4.5 percent from June’s 3.4 percent in the province.
The city of Puerto Princesa also had an uptrend in rate through the influence of food inflation at 7.4 percent. Other commodities that showed faster movement in price are electricity, LPG, other pelagic fish, and restaurants, cafés, and the like.
Puerto Princesa posted an acceleration at 5.4 percent from 4.1 percent in June.
The food inflation was also observed in the uptrend of inflation rates among the bottom 30 percent of households in Palawan and Puerto Princesa.
“Malaki ang weight ng food natin, kasi sa market basket natin ay parang 50 percent nandoon sa food. Magalaw ang presyo ng food items natin, volatile siya masyado, nag-iiba ng presyo,” Mobe said.
In the MIMAROPA region, Occidental Mindoro is the lone province that showed a deceleration in rate from 9.8 percent to 8.7 percent in July. The uptrend in the region at 5.0 percent was influenced by the acceleration of rates among the provinces of Palawan, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, and the city of Puerto Princesa. (RG/PIA Mimaropa-Palawan)
