December 23, 2004

Philippine Chicken Prices Up

Philippine Vice-President Noli de Castro said Thursday that chicken prices have risen to over P100 per kilo.

De Castro confirmed that there has been an increase from the usual price of P90 to around P110 this month.

The Vice President inspected Pritil Market in Tondo, Manila to monitor market prices and ensure that retailers are not taking advantage of the Christmas season by unfairly increasing prices further. He had appealed to market vendors to be reasonable in their pricing.

Meanwhile, the Vice-President said prices of other products like pork, beef and fish have remained stable.

De Castro is in charge of ensuring the stability of the prices of basic food items during the holiday season.

Earlier, the Philippine government assured the public of adequate chicken and pork supply this Christmas, saying that there "shall not have a repeat of last year's scenario," the National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC) said in a report.

The hog and poultry industries had assured that the supply of pork and chicken is enough to meet the expected hike in consumer demand this season.

"This Christmas season, prices of goods will be affordable for all our homemakers," Cristobal said in a statement issued December 16.