DA revives local price coordinating councils to monitor SRP compliance

The Department of Agriculture on Monday revived local price coordinating councils all over the country in order to ensure that prices of select agricultural products comply with the suggested retail prices set by the department.

The DA also released an updated list of agricultural products covered by the SRP and price freeze in connection with the enhanced community quarantine.

Dept of Agriculture releases updated SRP list for select agricultural products. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/toFNRtiBS2

— Tina PanganibanPerez (@tinapperez) April 13, 2020

“Resolution number 21 has revived the local price coordinating councils nationwide to help in the monitoring of the price freeze and suggested retail price as part of our efforts to maintain normalcy in the prices of basic commodities, as well as curtail hoarding and profiteering,” Agriculture Secretary William Dar said in a virtual press conference Monday morning.

The new products with SRPs and are covered by the price freeze include local and imported rice, pork liempo, chicken eggs and cooking oil.

Dar said these products are patronized by many consumers.

The SRPs and price freeze, however, do not cover online selling.

“Although we have SRPs and price freeze when it comes to public markets, online selling is different because of the added value which is convenience,” Agriculture Assistant Secretary Kristine Evangelista said.

The DA has partnered with online sellers to bring agricultural products to consumers.

“Since this is our Kadiwa partners, we tell them that it has to be cheaper compared to those who are not Kadiwa partners,” Evangelista added.

Online sellers are instructed by the DA to indicate separately the actual price of the agricultural products and their delivery fees.

“Right now, we are also working closely with DTI to check how we can safeguard pricing as far as online is concerned. Because this is something new also to DA,” Evangelista added. — BM, GMA News