DTI urges supermarket owners to lower price of meat, meat products

Agriculture Sec. William Dar and Trade Sec. Ramon Lopez inspect meat products at a supermarket in Mandaluyong. Image from the Department of Agriculture

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Tuesday urged supermarket owners to reduce the prices of meat and other meat products amid the price ceiling imposed by President Rodrigo Duterte.

“We are trying to convince supermarket owners if they can bring the prices of meat and meat products lower than the suggested price or the price ceiling imposed by the President,” DTI Undersecretary Ruth Castelo said during a House agriculture hearing on the soaring prices of pork.

Duterte signed Executive Order (EO) No. 124, which imposed a 60-day price freeze on pork and chicken products in Metro Manila. This price ceiling took effect on Feb. 8.

Under the EO, the price ceiling for a kilogram of kasim and pigue is at P270, P300 per kilogram for liempo, and P160 per kilogram for dressed chicken. The EO covers not only pork products in wet markets, but also imported pork products being sold in supermarkets.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque earlier noted that imported pork costs P114 per kilo, inclusive of tariff, while local hog raises shell out P171 for a kilo of pork.

Castelo, meanwhile, said that the DTI is “looking into” imposing regulations on imported meat products.

“We’re looking into imposing some regulations also on imported meat products. Also in supermarkets, we are also looking into this,” she said.

EDV