July 8, 2025

SRP prices eyed for Philippines' pork, chicken, fish

The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) is working to bring down future inflation levels on food, by imposing suggested retail prices (SRP), particularly for fish, pork and chicken. 

The agency "is looking to expand sources of pork and poultry, with diseases like African swine fever still limiting local supply," the DA said in a statement on Friday (July 4).

The agency is also looking to introduce a maximum SRP for imported pork products starting August as well as a maximum SRP for imported poultry products starting September.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr has urged fish importers to bring in affordable species that are not caught locally to provide consumers more choices amid price volatility.

The DA came up with the said proposals following the latest report by the Philippine Statistics Authority that showed headline inflation climbed to 1.4 % in June from 1.3 % in May.

The DA noted "among the top five contributors to the 1.4 inflation in June are the elevated prices of pork and chicken, up by 13 % and 10.4 %, respectively, which together added 0.4 percentage point to the inflation rate."

Tiu Laurel declared the relatively low headline inflation for June at 1.4 % could have been a product of government interventions, particularly on rice after the DA started the rollout of the ₱20 (US$0.35) per kilo rice programme for marginalised sectors.

"The good news is our rice initiatives are working, easing food costs for millions of Filipinos, especially the financially-challenged. But the data also tell us we need to move quickly to address supply gaps in pork, chicken and fish," he said.

-      The Philippine Star