DA backs proposed P380/kilo max SRP on pork

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) is open to enforce a maximum suggested retail price (SRP) of P380 per kilo of pork as suggested by a farmers’ group.

At a press briefing yesterday, Agriculture Assistant Secretary and spokesman Arnel de Mesa said that officials of the DA are scheduled to meet this week to finalize a pork max SRP.

“There are initial findings and those (findings) will be discussed this week as there will be consultation to be held,” De Mesa said.

The retail price of pork remains high at P480 per kilo. “By March, most likely, we will be able to issue maximum SRP on pork,” he added.

He said consultations would be held to discuss the position of stakeholders.

“The farmgate price of pork is not that high but there is a spike once the pork reaches the markets,” he noted.

Farmers’ group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura executive director Jayson Cainglet said the pork max SRP should only be P380 per kilo.

“The secretary has been saying that if it exceeds P400 per kilo, that’s profiteering already,” he said.

Based on monitoring by the DA, the retail price of pork shoulder ranged between P350 and P420 per kilo while that of pork belly is between P380 and PP480 per kilo.

Meanwhile, De Mesa also announced that imported onions have started arriving in the country, with the retail price of the bulbs likely to continue going down after reaching a high of P250 per kilo last week.

De Mesa said that of the approved 1,014 metric tons of white onions, 52 metric tons had already arrived.

“For onions, the prevailing price since Feb. 15 until yesterday was P200 per kilo. It went down,” De Mesa said.

De Mesa added that the DA has yet to receive a report on the arrival of 3,000 MT of onions approved for importation. But he maintained that the Feb. 20 deadline set by the DA would be observed.

“At least 44 SPSICs (sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance) equivalent to 2,222 MT of red onions were issued. We have yet to monitor any arrival,” he pointed out.

De Mesa said the entry of imported bulbs would not be allowed if the importers fail to meet the Feb. 20 deadline. “The arrival on or before Feb. 20 is a must,” he said.

“It (importation) will help the retail price to go down and will not increase and at the same time, will not dampen the farmgate price of locally produced onions,” De Mesa maintained.

He added that the imported onions should be delivered straight to the markets to prevent the importers from using as an excuse that the cold storage facilities were full to force the farmers to sell their produce at lower prices.

“Since the volume is limited, imported onions should be delivered straight to the markets,” he said.

Farmers’ groups have opposed the importation of onions as the harvest season has already started.