Gov't to broker pork supply

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is charting the return of the maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) on pork in Metro Manila’s wet markets in the third quarter of the year, which will now see the government play a more substantial role as a middleman to curb rising pork prices.

- By DEXTER BARRO II

The MSRP, which was enforced as a measure to lower retail prices of pork, was earlier suspended by the DA over low compliance.

Based on the agency’s monitoring, compliance with the price cap was below five percent as of May 2, a steep decline from the already low 30-percent compliance on April 1.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said he is looking into reimplementing the MSRP on pork between July and August.

The MSRP, initially set in March, will remain unchanged.

The price limit of pork was set at P350 per kilo for pigue (leg/ham) and kasim (shoulder), P380 per kilo for liempo (pork belly), and P300 per kilo for “sabit ulo” or freshly slaughtered carcass.

Laurel said there is no definitive date yet on its return, as the agency is still “fixing” internal rules, particularly on the side of the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS).