DA alarmed over continued non-compliance with pork MSRP

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is alarmed by the continued non-compliance with the maximum suggested retail prices (MSRP) for pork in Metro Manila, despite steady farmgate prices.

Pork belly is being sold between P420 to P440 per kilo, and pork shoulder between P370 to P380, significantly exceeding the P380 and P360 MSRPs respectively.

These retail prices are concerning given the farmgate price of pork is around P250 to P255 per kilo.

The DA began implementing an MSRP scheme for pork on March 10, setting prices at P300 per kilo for fresh carcass, P350 for kasim and pigue, and P380 for liempo.

Compliance with the pork MSRP was reported to be low at 30% as of April 1, after monitoring 170 stalls.

The compliance rate was only 20% during the first week of implementation and rose to 25% by March 22.

Assistant Secretary Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra noted that pork prices should have decreased further as certain delivery costs have already declined.

To help stabilize prices, the Philippine unit of Thailand's Charoen Pokphand Foods PLC will supply 100 live hogs per day in Metro Manila at a discounted price.