There will be no extension to the 60-day price ceiling on pork and chicken products in Metro Manila, Department of Agriculture (DA) Sec.William Dar said Wednesday, April 7.
A suggested retail price (SRP) for imported pork, however, will be implemented starting April 9.
“The price cap ends tomorrow, April 8, and there will be no extension but we have decided based on various consultations with stakeholders, and DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) and others, that we will impose a suggested retail price for imported pork,” Dar said during a press briefing.
The suggested retail price (SRP) for imported pork is pegged at P270 per kilo for kasim and P350 per kilo for liempo.
Dar said that while an SRP will be implemented on imported pork, no SRP will be imposed on local pork.
The agriculture chief stressed that they will no longer push for an extension of the price cap because it “will not solve the problem” anyway.
“Ang bottomline pa rin ay supply (Bottomline is still the supply). So, if the problem is supply, we have measures that are being proposed. The mobilization of hogs from provinces, that's just one of them, the increase of minimum access volume is another, lowering of tariff is another. So it is a holistic set of measures that can really bring down the prices and tame inflation,” Dar explained.
This was echoed by DTI Sec. Ramon Lopez, who said, “Ever since, our position, as recognized also by the DA, is really the issue of supply given the impact of African Swine Fever (ASF). Everything that was mentioned by Secretary Dar including the repopulation and allowing the temporary importation of pork to increase our supply are the fastest and right interventions we are seeing.”
A compliance monitoring team will be formed to ensure that retailers and resellers abide by the SRP set for imported pork. It will also monitor whether or not existing guidelines on the hygienic handling of imported pork, proper packaging, and labeling are being followed.
Aside from supermarkets and groceries, imported pork will also be distributed in wet markets in Metro Manila, particularly by retailers with freezers or chillers, Dar said.
He also encouraged hog suppliers to continue the delivery of surplus hogs from ASF-free provinces to the National Capital Region (NCR).
He further said the DA will continue its transport assistance program to stabilize the supply of hogs within Metro Manila and its neighboring provinces.