THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has expanded the list of produce for which prices have been frozen after the government extended the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.
In a virtual news conference yesterday, the DA released a memorandum circular that included goods covered by a suggested retail price (SRP) scheme.
Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said: “The expansion of the list forms part of our continuing efforts to ensure availability of basic commodities at reasonable prices in Metro Manila and other urban markets nationwide.”
The DA listed the SRPs for the following products:
• Imported rice (special) — P51 per kilogram
• Imported rice (premium) — P42 per kilogram
• Imported rice (well milled) — P40 per kilogram
• Imported rice (regular) — P39 per kilogram
• Local rice (special) — P53 per kilogram
• Local rice (premium) — P45 per kilogram
• Local rice (well-milled) — P40 per kilogram
• Local rice (regular) — P33 per kilogram
• NFA rice (regular-milled) — P27 per kilogram
• Round scad (galunggong-local) — P130 per kilogram
• Pork (liempo) — P225 per kilogram
• Chicken egg (medium) — P6.50 per piece
• Cooking oil (300 ml) — P24
• Cooking oil (one liter) — P50
The DA also reiterated the enforcement of the SRP it has set for the following basic commodities:
• Milkfish (cage-cultured) — P162 per kilogram
• Tilapia (pond-cultured fresh-chilled) — P120 per kilogram
• Round scad (galunggong imported) — P130 per kilogram
• Pork (pigue/kasim) — P190 per kilogram
• Chicken (whole) — P130 per kilogram
• Sugar (refined) — P50 per kilogram
• Sugar (brown) — P45 per kilogram
• Red onion (fresh) — P95 per kilogram
• Garlic (imported fresh) — P70 per kilogram
• Garlic (local fresh) — P120 per kilogram
Mr. Dar urged the public not to buy more than their ordinary needs and added that food supply is more than enough to meet the demand.
“Wag lang mag-hoard, wag lang mag-panic buying, at wag sobrahan ang bibilhin na food supplies (Avoid hoarding, panic-buying, and excessive buying of food supplies,”) Mr. Dar said.
Mr. Dar added that the rice inventory is good for 70 days, further augmented by the ongoing summer rice harvest.
The DA said that around 600,000 metric tons (MT) worth of rice imports have arrived, while rice import clearances for shipments that have yet to arrive amount to 1.3 million MT.
Vietnam will export 400,000 MT of rice this month, he added.
“Wala pong magugutom na Pilipino (No Filipino will go hungry),” Mr. Dar said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
