Laban Konsyumer Inc. (LKI) is urging the Department of Agriculture (DA) to act on the continuing high prevailing retail prices of pork and chicken despite falling farm gate prices.
Vic Dimagiba, LKI president, said prices should have gone down now that the holiday season is over and the African swine fever scare under control.
LKI said farm gate prices of chicken as of January 17 stood at P81 per kilogram (kg). for off size, P76.67 per kg. for regular size and P77.44 per kg. for prime size.
Pork farm gate prices in Central Luzon stood at P90 to P100 per kg. and in Batangas, P80 to P100 per kg.
Dimagiba said he will meet today with DA officials Ariel Cayanan, Ernesto Gonzales and Kristine Evangelista to discuss their mandates and powers to act on the issue.
LKI reiterated its suggestion to impose suggested retail prices of P140 per kg for chicken and P160 per kg for pork.
Earlier this month, Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines Inc., president Edwin Chen, also raised a similar concern with the Department of Trade and Industry.
“We have to bring down pork retail price in a more manageable rates. Otherwise, consumers will find it too expensive… Normal retail prices should only be at the range of additional P80 per kg. from farm gate prices,” Chen said.
