DA, LGUs to hear market vendors’ side on SRP, markup issues

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and local government units (LGUs) will issue letters of inquiry to Metro Manila market vendors who sell pork, chicken, and other agricultural products beyond the suggested retail price (SRP).

Department of Agriculture (DA) Assistant Secretary and Spokesperson Noel Reyes made the announcement in an interview on Radyo Inquirer on Monday, after the agency received reports that some vendors in Metro Manila markets do not comply with the SRP.

“Bibigyan sila ng letter of inquiry ng DTI tsaka ng LGU kung bakit ganun ang presyo nila, para malaman natin kung saan malaki ang patong (They will be issued letters of inquiry by the DTI and the LGU on the prices of the products they sell),” he said.

He added these letters of inquiry are meant to trace which part in the supply chain causes the higher prices and why the products are being sold higher than usual.

“Bibigyan natin sila ng pagkakataon para magpaliwanag, para ma-trace natin kung saan mismo malaki ang patong. Dapat ‘yan nasa 50 pesos lang mula sa farm ang patong,” he said.

(We will allow them to explain so that we can trace the source of the higher price markup, should only be P50 from farmgate to market.)

DA Administrative Circular No. 01 signed by Agriculture Secretary William Dar on February 20 imposes SRP per kilogram on the following products:

Pork (pigue/kasim) – P190
Chicken (whole, dressed) – P130
Sugar (raw, brown) – P45
Sugar (refined) – P50
Bangus (cage-cultured) – P162
Tilapia (pond-cultured) – P120
Galunggong (imported) – P130
Garlic (fresh) – P70 imported
Garlic – P120 local
Red onion (fresh) – P95

“The circular covers Metro Manila markets only. The implementing rules and regulations also direct the DA to determine, recommend, and enforce price ceilings when necessary,” Dar earlier said.

Reyes said monitoring teams from the DA will be deployed in large markets within Metro Manila to check if the SRP is being observed.

GSG