Current high prices of pork 'very abnormal,' says dealers' group

The head of a meat dealers' association in Manila on Wednesday described as "very abnormal" the current high prices of pork but said they should not be blamed for it.

"Very abnormal 'yung nangyayaring sitwasyon ngayon... sumobra ang taas ng baboy," said Ric Chen, president of Manila Meat Dealers Association, in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

He added: "Kami meat dealers lang kami, wala kami magawa. Ang may hawak talaga niyan ay yung malalaking farm."

Chen said the farms cited pork shortage caused by the African swine fever (ASF) as reason for jacking up the prices of pork.

Chen said if the prices of pork continue to go up, they may be forced to stop selling it.

"Kapag talagang 'di na kaya, ang balak namin tigil lahat, pati market vendors ng baboy, tigil lahat ng pagtitinda. Sobrang taas, kawawa mamimili. Ang worst-case scenario, titigil na lang kami," he said.

Based on a tweet by Super Radyo dzBB's Isa Avendaño-Umali, pork prices at Manila's Quinta Market sa Maynila are as follows: P260 per kilo of liempo; P230 per kilo of ground pork; P190 to P200 pero kilo of hock (pata).

#BantayPresyo: Presyo ng baboy sa Quinta Market sa Maynila - P260 ang kada kilo ng liempo; P230 ang bawat kilo ng laman at giniling at P190 hanggang P200 ang kada kilo ng pata. @dzbb pic.twitter.com/nQViS1uCGg

— Isa Avendaño-Umali (@Isa_Umali) June 9, 2020

"Kasi nagkaroon po tayo ng swine fever at hindi nag-alaga ng baboy. So nagkaroon ng shortage," a vendor said in James Agustin's report on Unang Balita.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar on Tuesday said they would look into the increase in pork prices as according to him, the suggested retail price for pork is P190 per kilo.

While acknowledging the impact of ASF on the industry, Dar said there is enough supply of pork especially in the Visayas and Mindanao. --KBK, GMA News