AGRICULTURE secretary William Dar on Saturday said the Department of Agriculture will penalize “abusive” businesses that manipulate the prices of agricultural commodities through supply control.
The Agriculture chief’s warning came after the DA noticed that the average farmgate price of chicken is at P77 per kilo, but it is being sold in the market for P157 per kilo – an P80 difference or more than 100 percent mark-up.
The DA also noted that imported galunggong or round scad, while its wholesale price ranges from P50 to P60 per kilo, is being sold at a retail price of up to P200 per kilo and the local ones are sold for up to P280 per kilo.
This makes galunggong more expensive than pork, with prices ranging from P180 to P220 per kilo.
“These discrepancies demonstrate a gross and direct contravention of the prohibitions set forth by the Price Act,” Dar said.
“Obviously, some traders and sellers refuse to reduce prices to pre-Christmas levels, and are taking advantage of the recent eruption of Taal Volcano,” he added.
With this, the Cabinet official said the DA will strongly implement Republic Act 7581 or the Price Act of 1992 that allows the DA to “penalize abusive businesses that control the supply of agricultural commodities to their advantage.”
The Agriculture chief, on Jan. 20, issued Department Order No. 3 invoking the agency’s powers as authorized under the Price Law.
The law was created primarily to prevent and take action against individuals and entities that manipulate prices of primary and basic commodities.
Violators of illegal price manipulation shall suffer imprisonment for a period of at least five years up to 15 years, and shall be imposed a fine of not less than P5,000 nor more than P2,000,000.
Under the Price Act, the DA is the main implementing agency in ensuring stability of prices with reference to agricultural crops, fish and other marine products, fresh meat, fresh poultry and dairy products, and fertilizers, among other farm inputs.
Under the newly-issued order, Dar is tasking all concerned officials and staff to regularly monitor the food supply and price situation, particularly of poultry, fish and vegetables, as great discrepancies have been observed between farmgate and market retail prices, well-surpassing acceptable levels.
“With this latest Department issuance, we aim to protect the welfare of consumers, and farmers and fisherfolk – who are themselves consumers,” Dar said.
“Thus, we warn unscrupulous and heartless businessmen, traders and retailers who take advantage of their countrymen. Rest assured that the guilty profiteers will not go unpunished in accordance with the law,” he said. (GMA News)
