Arlam Mangelen, regional executive director of the Department of Agriculture-Region 12 (PNA GenSan file photo)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY – The Department of Agriculture in Region 12 (DA-12) advised meat vendors and retailers on Wednesday to comply with the suggested retail price (SRP) for pork in the area to avoid possible sanctions.
Arlan Mangelen, DA-Region 12 executive director, issued the call as he reiterated that the PHP188 to P192 suggested price per kilo for pork that it earlier set for the entire region is reasonable and appropriate based on the prevailing market situation.
He said the SRP was based on the studies made by the regional “Bantay Presyo” committee, which is spearheaded by the agency.
The committee is composed of government regional line agencies, local government and law enforcement units, including the National Bureau of Investigation and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
Mangelen issued Special Order No. 6 last Jan. 28, setting the SRP for pork kasim at PHP188 and liempo at PHP192 per kilo.
“This should be the prevailing prices of pork in the markets here in our region. These are reasonable based on the current farmgate rates even if we consider the transportation cost,” he said in a radio interview.
Citing their monitoring and consultations with commercial hog producers here and nearby South Cotabato province, the official said the farmgate price per kilo of live hog is presently at PHP144.
He said there’s no reason for market vendors and retailers to sell them at higher prices as they will still gain enough if they follow the SRP.
Those who will not comply could face penalties and other appropriate actions as provided by the laws, he said.
The prices of pork in public markets here currently range from PHP280 to PHP300 per kilo while some supermarkets offer them at PHP260 per kilo, which are way higher than the SRP.
Market vendors said they cannot cope with the suggested prices set by DA-12 since they buy live hogs at average farm gate rates of PHP170 per kilo.
Mangelen said they will look into such reports in coordination with the “Bantay Presyo” committee.
He said they will also tap the local government units to monitor the situation through the Local Price Monitoring Councils.
“Those who are taking advantage of the situation and selling pork, as well as other basic commodities at unreasonable prices, will face legal actions,” he said. (PNA)
