DA sets price caps on pork, onions, carrots ahead of holiday season

The Department of Agriculture (DA) will impose a maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) on pork, onions, and carrots starting next month to curb soaring retail costs ahead of the peak holiday season.

- By DEXTER BARRO II

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said on Monday, Nov. 24, that the DA is currently reviewing the MSRP scheme for these commodities, with a planned implementation on Dec. 1 or earlier.

The price cap for retail pork is set at 340 per kilo for pigue (leg/ham) and kasim (shoulder), and ₱370 per kilo for liempo (pork belly). This is marginally lower than the MSRP initially set by the DA earlier this year, which was ₱350 per kilo for pigue and kasim and ₱380 per kilo for liempo.

A price limit of ₱300 per kilo was also proposed for freshly slaughtered carcasses, or "sabit ulo". The final new MSRP for produce, including carrots and onions, is still under review.

To protect producers, a ₱210-per-kilo floor price for live hogs will also be implemented, following an agreement between the DA and local hog producers earlier this month. Tiu Laurel noted his agency is seeking a legal mechanism to enforce the floor price, which is currently only a suggested policy.

Onions, price gouging

For produce, the DA will enforce a ₱120 per kilo price cap for both imported and local red and white onions, as well as imported carrots. The agency plans to keep the MSRP in effect until the end of January, with potential extension if deemed necessary.