December 3, 2009

Philippine government to strictly enforce chicken price range

The Philippine Department of Agriculture will strictly implement suggested retail prices for chicken to stabilise costs especially during the coming holiday season.

Agriculture Undersecretary Salvador Salacup said the price ceilings are the most reasonable levels for a given period and are guides to all stakeholders from "gate-to-plate".

The suggested retail price (SRP) for whole dressed chicken, is PHP135 (US$2.90) to P145 (US$3.11) a kilogramme, a figure which was drawn up after agriculture officials met recently with and chicken industry stakeholders.

The DA's Agricultural Marketing Assistance Service (Amas), Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) and the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) will regularly have morning trips to retail outlets to ensure that sellers follow the SRPs.

Salacup said that 8,000 tonnes of chicken would be arriving this weekend up to January 31, 2010, and another 8,000 tonnes of pork also this December through imports coming from the US, Canada and other Asian sources.

US$1 = PHP46.50 (Dec 3)