DA to probe QC poultry price hike

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday said it would look into the increase of poultry prices in a Quezon City market.

According to a 24 Oras report by Tina Panganiban-Perez, regular customers at the Nepa Q mart in Cubao noticed that the price of chicken had spiked by at least P5.

"Tumaas ng P5, P10...[Dahil daw] mainit ang panahon, namamatay ang manok," a buyer said.

The timing of the price hike was questioned by the United Broilers' Association (UBRA), noting that farm gate prices had gone down since the previous month.

"Kung n'ung isang buwan, March 16, (P89), hindi naman tumaas nang gan'yan. Hindi gumalaw ang presyo nu'n eh. Bakit ngayon, kung kailan mas mababa pa ang presyo, tumaas?" UBRA President Jose Elias Enciong said.

According to UBRA, the farm gate price of chicken was last charted at P73 as of April 13, which was lower than the P83 recorded late March.

Enciong said none of their members reported chicken deaths due to the heat so far, but as high temperatures could affect livestock, adding that UBRA will continue monitoring the market.

"Ang pinakamasamang mangyari sa'yo, ma-heatstroke (ang manok). Mamamatay. Maliban na lang kung climate-controlled 'yung building mo," he said.

Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol, who had yet to speak with the stakeholders, said there could be truth in the chicken deaths being reported.

"I still have to check with the stakeholders. So ipapatawag namin ang stakeholders at tatanungin ba't biglang tumaas ang presyo ng manok," he said.

"That could be true dahil sa panahon ng tag-init, apektado ang growth ng mga manok," Piñol added. — Margaret Claire Layug/BAP, GMA News