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Vendors go on 'pork holiday' anew, say they will lose money with price ceiling
Some vendors of pork and chicken held a "pork holiday" anew on Monday in protest against the government's price ceiling.
At Murphy Market in Cubao, Quezon City, more than 50 vendors of pork and chicken did not open their stalls, according to a report by James Agustin on GMA News' Unang Balita.
The vendors said they could not afford to sell their products at the government-imposed price ceilings since the cost of goods was also high, leaving them with very little profit.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier this month ordered a price ceiling in Metro Manila for 60 days on pork and chicken to address the high prices in the market following the low supply due to African swine fever.
Prices set by the government are P270 per kilo of kasim and pigue, P300 per kilo for liempo, and P160 per kilo of chicken, which took effect on Feb. 8.
One meat retailer said their supplier was passing on the pork to them at P260 per kilo. Given the other costs for rent and wages, the retailer said they would not be able to make enough profit if they will follow the price ceiling.
Another retailer said they were able to get pork from hogs from South Cotabato brought by the Department of Agriculture on February 11.
However, no supply came afterward, forcing them to turn to hog suppliers in Batangas and Quezon, who allegedly sold hogs at high prices.
Regular retail buyers of pork and chicken had to make do with buying fish and vegetables on Monday.
The "pork holiday" will run until Tuesday at Murphy Market, vendors said.
Meanwhile, at Commonwealth Market in Quezon City, no vendors were manning the stalls for pork and chicken, according to a report by Allan Gatus on Dobol B TV.
Vendors said suppliers were also offering P260 per kilo of pork to them, which would mean very little margin for meat retailers if they follow the price ceiling.
Mga meat vendor sa Commonwealth Market, hindi na naman nagtinda ng baboy ngayong araw. | via @allangatus pic.twitter.com/bOtX5zg4bh
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) February 21, 2021
Vendors held a "pork holiday" on Feb. 8 but resumed selling after Malacañang appealed to them to do so. —KG, GMA News
