Manila: There will be no maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for local pork while the hog industry is still under its repopulation efforts because of African swine fever (ASF) in the country, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said Monday. This announcement follows the Department of Agriculture's decision on May 15 to lift the pork MSRP, granting the pork industry time to recover.
According to Philippines News Agency, the MSRP for local pork was previously set at PHP380 per kilogram for "liempo" (belly), PHP350/kg for "kasim" (ham) and pigue, and PHP300/kg for "sabit-ulo". In a media interview, Tiu Laurel mentioned that an MSRP cannot be implemented due to the 'short supply' of local pork. He indicated that elevated retail prices might decrease with the availability of cheaper options.
Tiu Laurel emphasized the need to avoid imposing an MSRP on local producers and suggested offering consumers cheaper alternatives to naturally drive prices down. To address logistics costs, the DA plans to sell cheaper local pork at Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) centers, stalls, and other accredited sites starting in August.
As of June 13, local pork ham prices remain high, ranging from PHP350/kg to PHP430/kg, while pork belly costs between PHP380/kg and PHP490/kg, according to the DA-Bantay presyo. Frozen kasim ranges from PHP230/kg to PHP300/kg, and frozen liempo is set at PHP290/kg to PHP350/kg.
On the other hand, Tiu Laurel stated that the DA will impose an MSRP on frozen imported pork. This decision follows the discovery that some traders are selling frozen imported pork as 'local pork' at higher prices. The DA is working on legalities and policies to ensure that imported pork is properly chilled and not just displayed, which could lead to bacterial contamination.
Tiu Laurel noted that the MSRP on imported pork will include additional refrigeration costs, adding at least PHP5 to PHP10 to current retail prices. He suggested that kasim could range from PHP270 to PHP300, while liempo might be priced between PHP300 to PHP350 maximum.
