Agriculture Secretary William Dar. File photo / Screen grab from Senate PRIB
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) assured the public on Tuesday that there is enough supply of chicken in the market in view of consumers complaining about soaring prices of goods.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar made the assurance during the joint hearing of the House committee on agriculture and food and the committee on trade and industry.
“Nais ko ring kunin ang pagkakataon na ito upang maipabatid sa publiko, sapat ang suplay ng manok sa merkado. Sinisuguro natin na may supply ng manok hanggang sa matapos ang taon,” Dar said.
(I would like to take this opportunity to inform the public, the supply of chicken in the market is enough. I would like to assure that there would be a supply of chicken until the end of the year.)
Dar likewise said there is enough supply of vegetables.
“Sa gulay naman ay dumadami na yung harvest, apektado nga ng bagyo noong November, nakakabangaon na so bumabalik na. We have enough supplies,” Dar said.
(In terms of vegetables, harvest is increasing, we may have experienced typhoons in November but we are returning to normal.)
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier imposed a 60-day freeze in the prices of pork and chicken in Metro Manila to check their exorbitant prices in markets, earning the ire of local producers who believe the rates are “impossible” to meet.
Executive Order No. 124 set price ceilings of P270 a kilo for “kasim/pigue” and P300 per kilo for “liempo,” and P160 a kilo for dressed chicken.