Retail prices of pork at the Baguio public market stands at P300 per kilo despite the Department of Agriculture’s issuance of a circular suggesting retail prices for the product.
In the latest monitoring of the City Veterinary and Agriculture Office, prices of pork are between P300 and P350 per kilo. At the SM supermarket, City Veterinarian Brigit Piok said the company followed the DA’s SRP which is P280 per kilo.
The hike in prices is attributed to the lack of supply as pork producers reported that their hogs were afflicted with the African swine fever.
At the Baguio slaughterhouse, the average number of hogs butchered every day is 175 heads per day compared to the average of 220 heads per day six months ago, or prior to the ASF outbreak.
Piok said before ASF-affected hogs in areas where Baguio retailers get their supply, the cost of pork were between P200 and P220 per kilo.
In September, prices rose to P240 to P280 per kilo, and in October, prices are now at P300 per kilo.
Due to the increase in prices of pork, DA Sec. William Dar on Oct. 28 signed Administrative Circular 14 s. 2020 containing the SRP of pork.
The agency has also coordinated with the private sector in transporting supply from areas that are not affected by the ASF. – Rimaliza A. Opiña
