DA approves max SRP for pork items

MANILA, Philippines — Beginning Monday, pork shoulder will be sold at maximum suggested retail price (SRP)of P350 per kilo and pork belly at P380.

The Department of Agriculture announced yesterday the setting of maximum SRP following a series of meetings with stakeholders called by the DA to address the high retail price of pork.

At a press conference, Agriculture spokesman Arnel de Mesa said a unanimous decision was reached between the DA and the pork industry to implement the maximum SRP.

“Almost all of the stakeholders attended the meeting. After the last round of consultation this 3 p.m. with the stakeholders in the hog industry, which was also attended by the Philippine National Police, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and other government agencies, it was a unanimous decision to implement a maximum SRP on pork beginning Monday, March 10, 2025,” De Mesa said.

He added that aside from the max SRP on pork shoulder and pork belly, the price of “sabit ulo” would be capped at P300 per kilo.

“We will have a monthly review and we will start (the review) after a month of the implementation of the maximum SRP,” De Mesa said.

For his part, farmers’ group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) executive director Jayson Cainglet said that the pork industry is one with the DA in providing affordable pork to consumers.

“It took weeks for all the players in the hog industry to come up with the unanimous decision. There was a consultation with the biyaheros, retailers and it is important to mention that the max SRP was unanimous,” Cainglet said.

He added that the max SRP on pork was necessary as the retail price remains high at more than P400 per kilo.

“All were given two weeks to consult but until now we still hear P400, P420 (per kilo). We are hoping by March 10, everybody will follow and after a month, we will review whether the max SRP is too much or not enough. This is a unanimous decision of the pork industry,” Cainglet added.

Las Pinas Public Market United Vendors president Manny Pareja also said the max SRP on pork is necessary as sales by pork retailers are affected by the high retail price.

“Retailers are crying because consumers buy less pork because of the high price. We are dependent on the consumers. If the consumers do not buy, we will not survive. It is important to bring down the retail price of pork,” Pareja said.

De Mesa said that the DA will tap the help of the police to ensure compliance by retailers with the new price cap directive.

Based on monitoring by the DA in Metro Manila markets, the retail price of pork shoulder ranged from P350 and P420 per kilo, and pork belly from P375 to P480 per kilo.