Pork retailers struggle to comply with MSRP

Pork retailers in Metro Manila are finding it difficult to comply with the maximum suggested retail price set by the Department of Agriculture, with many still selling above the mandated rates three weeks after implementation.

The DA established an MSRP on March 10, setting prices at P380 per kilo for liempo, P350 per kilo for kasim and pigue in wet markets across the National Capital Region (NCR), and P300 per kilo for pork sold by traders to retailers, excluding supermarkets and hypermarkets.

However, actual prices remain higher in some markets. At the Murphy Public Market in Quezon City, kasim prices range from P360 to P380 per kilo, while liempo is sold between P390 and P420 per kilo. In the Pasay Public Market, kasim is priced between P340 and P360 per kilo, while liempo costs P380 to P420 per kilo.

Retailers say they struggle to meet the MSRP because they cannot sell other pork cuts, forcing them to offset losses through kasim and liempo sales.

“Pinamimigay lang din po namin yun, pero kasama ‘yun sa timbang ng baboy na binabayaran namin,” said retailer Alona Macaraeg in Vonne Aquino's Sunday report on 24 Oras Weekend.

(We give away those parts we can't sell, but they are included in the weight of the pig that we pay for.)

“Hangga’t ang farm hindi nagbababa, ang mga supplier namin hindi bababa ang presyo,” added another retailer, Lovita Tulay.

(Suppliers won’t lower prices unless farms do.)

The Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines (PPFP) claims to comply with the MSRP, noting that farmgate prices have dropped from P260 to P230 per kilo. However, production costs remain high.

“Mataas na po ‘yung expenses namin for biosecurity, dahil nga ayaw po naming magkasakit ‘yung mga baboy kasi matindi po ‘yung dulot ng sakit ngayon na dinadala ng [African swine flu]. ‘Yung feeds naman taon taon tumataas,” said PPFP President-Elect Eric Harina.

(Our biosecurity expenses have increased because we need to prevent diseases like African Swine Fever (ASF). Feed prices also rise every year.)

GMA Integrated News is still awaiting a response from the DA on the issue. Last week, the agency reported that compliance with the MSRP stood at 25% as of March 10. — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/DVM, GMA Integrated News