DA eyes ‘Pork-For-All’ program amid high prices

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is looking into implementing a “Pork-For-All” program in Kadiwa outlets and some markets.

In Darlene Cay’s Monday report on “24 Oras,” the DA will directly buy pork from importers and traders to sell at a cheaper price, like the implemented “Rice-For-All” program.

Based on DA’s latest monitoring in Metro Manila, pork prices are at P350 to P420 per kilo while Liempo is at P380 to P480 per kilo.

“We think na kailangan mag-declare ng MSRP dahil 'yung price naman ng farmgate is between P240-P250, but ang price ng retail umaabot ng P400. Dapat maadjust yung price,”said Rosendo So, SINAG president.

(We think a maximum suggested retail price [MSRP] should be imposed because the farmgate price is between P240 and P250 per kilo, but the retail price is P400 per kilo. The prices should be adjusted.)

So said the pork supply from January to May has been affected by the African swine fever that hit parts of the country in 2024.

He added that pork supply is sufficient due to the imports, so there is no reason for pork prices to reach P400 per kilo.

DA said it will investigate if traders or sellers are taking advantage of pork prices.

“I cannot say kung saan ang problema pero nagkaroon na ng pag-aaral and magkakaroon nga ng additional consultation this week para malatag lahat kung ano yung nakita na issue and then magkakaroon na nga ng MSRP,” DA spokesperson Arnel de Mesa said.

(I cannot say if there is a problem but we’re looking into it and will hold another consultation this week to know the issue and the possibility of setting MSRP.)

Onion prices also reached P220 per kilo in the Litex Market.

Based on DA’s latest monitoring, onions cost P140-P240 per kilo in some markets.

However, onion prices are expected to decline since harvest season has begun and importation is ongoing. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/BM, GMA Integrated News