QUEZON CITY, (PIA) — Frequent shoppers in public markets have welcomed a move by the Department of Agriculture to implement a maximum suggested retail price for pork in all wet markets in the National Capital Region, starting Monday, March 10.
The move aims to address challenges facing the pork industry, particularly the effects of the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak.
Amalia Ilagan, a regular customer at KADIWA ng Pangulo said that noting it could help ease household food expenses.
“Of course we prefer this; it’s cheaper, especially with the rising cost of living,” she said in Filipino.
Another market-goer, Rosemarie Lomibao, echoed similar sentiments while purchasing groceries for her family.
“It’s better; we can buy more because prices at the market are high, so we really have to budget our shopping,” she said.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said Thursday that the maximum suggested retail price will be set at 380 pesos per kilogram for liempo (belly) and 350 pesos per kilogram for kasim (shoulder) and pigue (leg/ham).
Meanwhile, retailer Henry Zamora, who trades poultry from General Santos City to Metro Manila, said he welcomes the idea as long as poultry farm owners also lower their prices.
“Pwede namin ibaba ang retail price basta ibababa din nila ‘yung price ng farm gate,” he said.
According to the Department of Agriculture, the implementation includes a maximum suggested price of 300 pesos for “sabit ulo,” the price at which traders pass pork to retailers.
However, pork sold in modern supermarkets, such as supermarkets and hypermarkets, is exempt from the maximum suggested retail price, given their high operating costs. (JVD/PIA-NCR)
