MANILA, Philippines – There is a low compliance among pork industry players of the maximum suggested retail prices (MSRP) on pork implemented by the Department of Agriculture’s (DA).
DA spokesman Arnel de Mesa said Monday, March 17, that out of the more than 170 stalls monitored in Metro Manila, only 20% complied with the suggested prices of P350 per kilo for pork shoulder and ham, and P380 per kilo for liempo (belly).
According to De Mesa, there are no issues with retailers, whom he said purchased pork higher than P300 per kilo. Alongside the MSRP, the DA set the price at which traders pass pork to retailers at P300.
“Kung babalikan natin ‘yan, it’s either on the producer side o nasa viajero na side ang issue,” De Mesa told reporters. (If we backtrack, the issue lies on the producers or the traders.)
A week passed since the implementation of MSRP on pork. The DA aims to lower pork prices below P400 per kilo.
Before this, the DA first implemented a MSRP on imported premium rice, which they see going down P45 per kilo by the end of March given the dropping prices in the world market. In comparison, De Mesa said compliance with MSRP on imported rice ranges from 40 to 45%.
“’Yung napagkasunduan during the meetings, mayroong hindi sumusunod, ‘di ba, kung titignan natin itong level of compliance,” the spokesman said.
(There are those who are not following what was agreed upon during the meetings, based on this level of compliance.)
As of Saturday, March 15, prevailing prices of ham and belly in Metro Manila are at P380 per kilo and P420 per kilo, respectively. – Rappler.com