President Rodrigo Duterte released an executive order putting a price cap on pork and chicken products, but only Metro Manila, Senator Bong Go said.
Executive Order No. 124 imposes a price limit for 60 days on the said commodities sold in the National Capital Region (NCR) unless Duterte extends it upon the recommendation of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Last week, DA has recommended to President Rodrigo Duterte the implementation of pork price freeze in the market, following the increase in its price due to African swine fever (ASF).
According to DA Spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Noel Reyes, DA Secretary William Dar will appeal to President Duterte to implement the P270 to P300 price freeze.
“’ Yun na nga ang inirerekomenda ng DA kay Presidente, tapos na po ‘yung consultation, suporta na lang ng ating stakeholders ang tinitingnan,” according to DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Noel Reyes, in a radio interview. “Ang sina-suggest ni Secretary ay P270 to P300 ang price freeze natin sa baboy.”
Duterte orders 60-day price caps pork, chicken meat – Go
(That is what the DA recommends to the President, the consultation is over, we are only looking at the support of our stakeholders. The Secretary suggested that our price freeze on pigs be P270 to P300.)
Reyes said the DA has also allocated an initial P400 million for the repopulation of pigs in areas where there has been an ASF outbreak.
But for the group of pig farmers, the crisis will be exacerbated when the Department of Agriculture (DA) implements a price freeze due to the increase in pork prices due to African swine fever (ASF).
Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines (Pro Pork) vice president for Luzon Nicanor Briones explained in TeleRadyo that the supply of pork will only increase because no one will really do business due to the price freeze.
He said the government’s proposed P270 to P300 pork price would not be bearable so the pig farmers will only lose revenue.
No price consultation was also reported.