Retail price of ginger hits P350/kilo

Farmers' group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) yesterday asked the Department of Agriculture (DA) to inspect cold storage facilities for possible hoarding of ginger amid the spike in its retail price despite importation.

- BELLA CARIASO

"That (hoarding) is possible, that's why it is important to check the imported ginger as there is importation. The cold storage facilities should be checked," SINAG chairman Rosendo So said.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary and spokesman Arnel de Mesa said that at least 4,248 metric tons (MT) of imported ginger from China have arrived.

"That corresponds to 30 percent of the total volume that we are expecting. Most of the ginger came from China but we opened up (importation to other countries)," he said.

According to De Mesa, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has allowed the importation as ginger-producing areas like Calabarzon and parts of Sierra Madre were affected by recent typhoons.

De Mesa said the retail price should only be below P100 per kilo.