The Department of Agriculture has set up a ₱235 suggested retail price (SRP) for the wholesale price per kilogram of pork in a move to help meat vendors amid the implementation of price ceiling.
“Mayroon nang sapat na kita roon ang trader o wholesaler. Tapos ibigay na sa retailer o vendors sapat pa rin ang kita niya, within the price cap (The trader or wholesaler will have enough earning. After handing it to retailer or vendors, they will still have enough earning, that is within the price cap),” DA Sec. William Dar explained.
A recent directive of the government has been mandating a cap of ₱270 per kilogram of pork shoulder (kasim) or butt (pigue), ₱300 for pork belly (liempo), and ₱160 for chicken.
Some vendors have gone on a pork holiday in response to the order with importation strongly considered to augment supply. However, some imported pork are sold at ₱300 in some markets despite its farm gate price of 114 pesos a kilo.
The government is now mulling the implementation of a price cap and label placement on all imported pork sold locally.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said imported meat should not be priced in excess of ₱270 a kilo.
Meanwhile, the Quezon City government has offered free rent of stalls for vendors with slow or no sales. – Report from Cleizl Pardilla
