THE DEPARTMENT of Agriculture (DA) is considering implementing a cap on the prices of liempo and carrots.
In a “24 Oras” report on May 6, the DA noticed the price of liempo during an inspection at the Project 4 Public Market in Quezon City.
The group found out that the price per kilo of liempo is between P400 to P420. But the price in other markets is higher, reaching up to P450 per kilo.
“Pork prices see a slight increase from the previous P370 to P380,” said DA Assistant Secretary Genevieve Guevarra.
Meanwhile, the prices of rice remain high with regular milled rice at P35 to P55 per kilo; well-milled rice at P45 to P57 per kilo; and imported well-milled rice at P48 per kilo.
Consumers cannot help but express their frustration over the rising prices of food.
“Everything is just too expensive — from vegetables to meat, and especially rice. We have to cut back on eating out and everything else just to make sure we can eat three meals a day,” said Rona Evaristo.
Linda Shinohara said, “It’s too much. Your P1,000 feels like only P100.”
The public is still waiting for the implementation of the P50-per-kilo price cap on imported rice.
Some rice retailers, however, are hoping that the government could help them look for cheaper sources.
Aside from imported rice, the department is also considering price caps for liempo and carrots — targeting P380 per kilo for liempo and P100 per kilo for carrots.
“As a way to tame inflation, we are considering the possibility of imposing price caps on major agricultural commodities,” said Guevarra.
But some retailers are asking how they can possibly comply when their acquisition costs from suppliers remain high.
“Our suppliers’ prices are a bit high, which is why we can’t really lower ours. We can definitely do it once their prices drop,” said pork retailer Ino Laforteza.
Vegetable seller Teresita Diuco mentioned that “it depends on the shipment — it depends on the size and the quality. We can’t manage a P100 price cap because our capital cost is already at P140.”
For its part, the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) said the farm gate prices for pork are currently low; therefore, a P380 per kilo price cap on liempo is achievable. (GMA News)
