Philippines announces reference prices for pork and chicken

 

 

Manila will be the first to implement suggested retail prices (SRP) for pork and chicken during the holiday season in the Philippines.

 

The reference prices were agreed upon by the government and the private sector, and would serve as a guideline for farmers, slaughterhouse operators, meat dealers, wholesalers, retailers and consumers.

 

Whole dressed chicken prices are set at PHP135-PHP145 per kg, pork kasim for PHP160-PHP165 per kg and pork liempo for PHP170-PHP175 per kg.

 

The government could expand SRP coverage to the rest of the country after a review of the situation in Manila, said Agriculture Undersecretary Salvador Salacup.

 

Ahead of the holiday season, prices of pork prime cuts rose late last week to PHP155-PHP190 per kg from PHP150-PHP190 per kg the previous week, according to data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics.

 

Chicken prices, however, kept steady at PHP130-PHP150/kg.

 

Prevailing prices were also higher than the PHP160-PHP180 per kg for pork and PHP120-PHP140 per kg for chicken late last month.

 

Salacup said the Agriculture and Trade departments will conduct daily checks to ensure that sellers are following the SRPs.

 

The departments will also conduct a weekly review to decide whether the SRPs should be increased or decreased, or whether it should be lifted considering several factors that affect the volatility of commodities prices.

 

US$1 = PHP46.95 (Nov 30)