By Stephanie Sevillano

PORK PRICES. A vendor displays different pork cuts and other by-products at a market in Quezon City on Jan. 14, 2025. The Department of Agriculture on Tuesday (Jan. 28) said it is studying the possibility of setting a maximum suggested retail price on pork, as well as penalties that may be imposed against possible profiteering. (PNA photo by Joan Bondoc)

MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday said it is studying the possibility of setting a maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) on pork, as well as penalties that may be imposed against possible profiteering.

The DA made the statement amid spiking prices of pork in Metro Manila markets.

Kasama doon sa pag-aaral is ano iyong tamang MSRP nitong baboy. After nga ng bigas, iyong posibilidad na magpalabas ng (Included in the study is the right MSRP for pork. After rice, there’s a possibility to release a pork) MSRP,” DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said in an interview.

De Mesa likewise said those who will be proven to be involved in profiteering may be held liable under the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act.

Klaro naman doon kung paano tingnan kung saan siya papasok. Kung iyan ay imported, so, sa smuggling, sa hoarding at saka doon sa aspeto ng profiteering. So doon ‘yung titignan, ayon sa batas (It’s clear how you’ll classify it. If that’s imported then it will be smuggling, hoarding and the aspect of profiteering. So, you’ll look into it based on the law),” he said.

De Mesa noted that a reasonable markup from farmgate to retail price, or the whole value chain, should only be a “little over PHP100,” according to industry standards.

“If you look at the farmgate price ng baboy, sabihin mo ng PHP220 hanggang PHP250. Ang presyo is nasa PHP400, more than PHP400 sa ilang pamilihan. Ibig sabihin noon talagang sobrang laki (of pork, it’s around PHP220 to PHP250. But the market price is around PHP400 to more than PHP400. It’s too much),” he said.

To date, the prevailing price of pork liempo (belly) in Metro Manila is at PHP426 per kilogram, with the lowest price at PHP390/kg and the highest reaching PHP460/kg, according to the DA Bantay Presyo (price watch).

The price of pork kasim (ham) range from PHP330/kg to PHP400/kg, with the average at PHP375/kg.

Frozen pork liempo and kasim prices, meanwhile, are lower, ranging from PHP280/kg to PHP350/kg and PHP230/kg to PHP280/kg, respectively.

Earlier, Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the DA needs two weeks to look into the reason behind the mounting prices of pork despite stable supply inventory and assess if there’s ongoing profiteering in local markets. (PNA)