Prices of cooking oil, sugar up in some NCR markets

Prices of basic goods such as cooking oil and sugar went up in some markets in Metro Manila Thursday, even as the National Food Authority ordered field units to monitor prices.

In Manila, prices of cooking oil at the Trabajo Public Market went up by as much as P10 per 1.5-liter container, radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported.

Cooking oil in 1.5-liter containers sold for P100 from P90 last week, while cooking oil in one-liter containers sold for P70 from P60 last week. Cooking oil in "lapad" bottles sold for P30 from P25 last week, the report added.

The report said vendors claimed low supplies for the sudden price hike.

Prices of sugar also went up, with white or refined sugar sold at P44 per kilo from P42 per kilo last week. Brown sugar prices also went up from P38 to P40 per kilo.

Meanwhile, NFA Administrator Orlan Calayag ordered the monitoring of prices of rice, even as he reassured the public of stable rice supply.

He said the country has "adequate" supply of rice that can last through the lean months, saying the inventory of rice is at 2.4 metric tons – good for 71 days.

Calayag ordered NFA field offices to strictly monitor rice prices and movements in markets nationwide. — LBG, GMA News