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Supply of pork, dressed chicken in NCR wet markets scarce on 'pork holiday'
The supply of pork and dressed chicken in wet markets in Metro Manila was low on Monday as many meat vendors went on "pork holiday" on the first day of the price ceiling imposed by the government.
At Balintawak Market in Quezon City, many stalls which used to sell pork and dressed chicken were closed on Monday morning, according to a report by James Agustin on GMA News' Unang Balita.
Vendors said they will lose money if they will sell pork and dressed chicken at the prices set by the government, since traders also pass these on to them at high prices.
The price ceiling is P300 per kilo for liempo, P270 per kilo for kasim and pigue, and P160 per kilo for dressed chicken. These prices are in effect for 60 days.
President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the price ceiling imposed in Metro Manila for 60 days starting Monday upon the recommendation of the Department of Agriculture.
Prices of pork and chicken in Metro Manila wet markets shot up to as much as P420 per kilo for liempo, and P400 per kilo for pigue and kasim last month as supply ran low due to the African swine fever.
'Sobrang baba'
Balintawak Market meat retailer Shella Pareja said the price ceiling set by the government is too low.
"So 'yung mga kinukuhanan ko ng baboy, 'yung mga mismong biyahero o 'yung traders, sila 'yung mismong hindi na nanghuli ng baboy, kasi hindi na nila kaya 'yung presyo. Sobrang baba 'yung hinihiling ng gobyerno, 'di ba. So hindi nila kayang ipasa sa amin nang ganoon kababa dahil mataas ang kuha nila sa farm," she said.
Before midnight on Sunday, however, a few traders arrived at Balintawak Market and brought some hogs.
One of the meat retailers who got supply from the traders is Ramil Baiso, who decided to sell at P320 per kilo of liempo and P290 per kilo of kasim and pigue, both above the price ceiling.
"Hindi ko kaya [sundin ang price ceiling] gawa ng napakataas ang puhunan. Ang puhunan ko diyan ay P270 [per kilo]. E paano na lang kung ganoon ang bentahan namin, di laki ng lugi ko," he said.
Consumers had difficulty buying pork and dressed chicken at the Balintawak Market due to the situation.
"Hirap na hirap kaming maghanap ng baboy ngayon. Eh hindi naman kami bumibili ng frozen-frozen diyan. Gusto namin fresh meat talaga. Kaya nahihirapan kami. Eto, paikot-ikot ako. 'Di ko alam kung saan ako bibili," said Edmond Futalan from Valenzuela.
Carinderia owner Glenna Versoza had no choice but buy pork at P700 for 2.5 kilos, or P280 per kilo, just so she can have the ingredients for menudo.
"Ngayon lang nahirapan kasi wala pong tinda. Ito lang [stall na ito ang] may tinda. Itama na lang po sa pagtakal. Lagyan na lang ng gulay para dumami-dami," she said.
Some consumers resorted to buying frozen pork meat at P290 per kilo.
"Wala akong mabili na fresh na baboy kaya dito na lang po," said Bing Bustos.
As of 6 a.m., there were no more fresh pork meat available at Balintawak Market. Consumers only had frozen meat and beef to choose from as alternatives to fresh pork meat.
A trader who brought 20 hogs from Cainta, Rizal said this was the only supply they were able to bring to Balintawak Market.
Meanwhile, vendors of dressed chicken also sold their products at P167 per kilo at Balintawak Market, above the price ceiling, since farmgate prices were high.
"Kami na po ang mababa, kahit ikutin niyo dito. Kami lang po ang mababa dito magbenta. Dahil mula galantina, 'yung may paa at ulo, kami lang ang nagpapatong ng P20. Talagang tao lang talaga. Hindi kami nagpapatong ng sobra-sobra," said vendor Imelda Reyes.
Divisoria
Meanwhile, in Divisoria Market in Manila, there was no vendor of fresh pork and dressed chicken around on Monday morning, according to a report by Darlene Cay on Unang Balita.
Vendors instead sold frozen pork meat and dressed chicken, since they said they could not sell fresh meat at the prices set by the government.
"Kasi nga sobrang mahal [ang kuha sa biyahero]. Hindi na daw nila kaya. Hindi na nila kaya ang presyo, malulugi lang. Tapos 'pag nag-price freeze, bumaba pa, mahuhuli pa sila kaya ayaw na nila. Hanggang kailan kaya 'yan?" said vendor Gloria Hernandez.
"Itong time lang na ito ngayon lang kami nagtinda ng frozen. Almost 30 years na ako nagtitinda dito. Hindi naman kami naghahanap ng malaking kita eh. May pang-araw araw lang kaming gastos eh, ok na," vendor Lucila Oconer said.
Frozen pork is being sold here at P280 per kilo for kasim and pigue, and P290 to P300 for liempo. Frozen dressed chicken meanwhile, goes for P160 per kilo. This is actually higher than the P240 per kilo of frozen pork meat and P140 per kilo price of frozen dressed chicken last week.
Oconer said the government should go after farms.
"Sa totoo lang, ang dapat nila inaano, 'yung mga farm. Kasi katulad namin, humahango lang din kami. Ngayon pagdating sa farm, meron pa silang middleman. Parang nagkakaroon pa ng ahente. Paano naman kami? Kasi humahango kami. 'Yung last humahango kami, P300 [per kilo] 'yung fresh. Magkano namin ibebenta 'yun?" she said.
"Tulungan mo kami, President. Wala, nahihirapan kami. Kawawa talaga kami mga tindera dito, lahat kami, pati manok hirap din ho. Eh totoo naman 'yon, 'di ba?" Oconer added.
Trabajo Market
Meanwhile, at Trabajo Market in Sampaloc, Manila, several meat stalls remained closed on Monday as vendors joined the "pork holiday."
No sanctions
There will be no sanctions, at least for now, for retailers who would participate in the "pork holiday" protest against the price cap on food commodities imposed by the national government, Agriculture Assistant Secretary Noel Reyes said Monday.
Interviewed on Unang Balita, Reyes said the department is currently monitoring the situation on the ground amid the implementation of the price ceiling in Metro Manila.
Meanwhile, the National Meat Inspection Service reminded consumers to check if the frozen meat they are buying are covered by a certificate of meat inspection from the cold storage facility source, to ensure the quality of the product. —KG, GMA News
