ILOILO City – With Christmas and New Year celebrations approaching, the Department of Agriculture (DA) Region 6 is closely monitoring price increases in meat and certain agricultural products.
The “ber” months (September to December) traditionally see an increased demand for pork, leading to higher prices, according to Maria Teresa Solis, head of DA-6’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division.
This year, however, the rise in prices is being made sharper by the ongoing African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak that started in 2022.
In the second week of November, the live weight of hogs reached P220 per kilo, and pork prices were between P320 and P360 per kilo.
Solis, however, assured Western Visayans that the region has an adequate pork supply for the holiday season. Provinces are collaborating to address each other’s supply needs.
She also cited the entry of imported pork products, especially processed meat.
Consumers should also expect price increases in chicken, eggs, vegetables, and other commodities, said Solis.
Some vegetables have already seen a slight increase in prices this November.
Like pork, there is a sufficient supply of chicken in the region for the holiday season, said Solis. However, price increases by traders are possible if demand surges.
Price Monitoring
DA-6’s monitoring in the second week of November showed the following price changes compared to the first week of the month:
* Fish – Bangus (no changes), Tilapia (6% increase), Galunggong (local, 26% increase), Alumahan (8% decrease)
* Livestock and Poultry – Whole chicken (commercial, 3% decrease), Whole chicken (native, no changes), Pork belly (liempo, 6% increase), Pork ham (kasim, 6% increase)
* Rice (local commercial) – Premium (6% increase), Well milled (6% increase), Regular milled (no changes)
* Fruits – Calamansi (45% increase), Banana (no changes), Papaya (5% increase), Mango (carabao, 9% increase)
* Vegetables – Lowland vegetables like ampalaya, sitao, pechay, eggplant, squash, and tomato noted a 10 to 25% increase per bundle.
* Other Commodities – Sugar and cooking oil prices remain unchanged at P80 per kilo for sugar and P80 per liter for cooking oil.
Advice to Consumers
Due to the rising pork prices and slight increases in other commodities, Solis encouraged consumers to consider healthier, more affordable alternatives for Christmas and New Year meals.
She particularly recommended fish and vegetables, given their abundant supply in the region.
“You can choose other agricultural and fisheries products that are healthier. Christmas will continue, even with simple preparations. So, the simpler, the healthier. Let’s change our lifestyle to avoid illness. The benefits of pork or beef should be weighed against your choice. Let’s live simply and eat healthily,” said Solis./PN
