CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Department of Agriculture in Central Visayas (DA-7) has already imposed a price freeze on vegetables, rice, and other agricultural products starting this week.
DA-7 regional director lawyer Salvador Diputado told CDN Digital that the move aims to prevent overpricing of the said products that were sold in the market, amidst the health crisis that the country is facing due to the threat of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID)-19.
Under the Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2020-01 issued by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Department of Health, the price ceiling or suggested retail price (srp) of special rice is only at P60 per kilogram (kg), P50 per kg for premium rice, P44 per kg for well-milled rice and P36 per kg for regular milled rice.
Yellow corn grits are also sold at P60 per kg and P50 per kg for white corn grits.
For fish products, the srp of bangus is at P170 per kg, P60 per kg for tamban, P120 per kg for bolinao and P190 per kg for galunggong.
For livestock and poultry products, whole chicken should not exceed P160, P120 for every 12-14 pieces of eggs, P205 per kg for pork belly, P265 per kg for beef rump and P180 per kg for beef brisket.
For vegetables, the srp for ampalaya is P100 per kg, P65 per kg for pechay, P37 per kg for squash, P60 per kg for sitao, P65 per kg for eggplant, P50 per kg for tomatoes, P80 per kg for cabbage, P70 per kg for white potato, P70 per kg for carrots, P70 per kg for baguio beans and P15 per kg for chayote.
For root crops and spices, sweet potato should not exceed P60 per kg., P70 per kg for cassava, P60 per kg for gabi, P90 per kg for locally produced onion red, P120 per kg for imported onion red, P90 per kg for locally produced onion white, P130 per kg for imported onion white, P120 per kg for imported garlic, P120 per kg for ginger, and P400 per kg for chili.
For fruits and other commodities, papaya’s price ceiling is at P60 per kg, P75 per kg for banana, P150 per kg for mango, P75 per kg for calamansi, P48 per kg for refined sugar, P47 per kg for brown sugar and P54 per liter for cooking oil.
“I-implement mana siya, di man mahimo nga dili ka motuman. Dili mana kay ingnon nimo nga optional na. Obligado man gyud ta ana nga mo-follow. So kana nga presyo, mao na’y gi-suggest diha basi na sa atong averaging nga presyo,” Diputado said.
Diputado said that they will be deploying personnel in different public markets to ensure that vendors are following the price freeze and the srp of the products mentioned.
Those who will violate the said circular, Diputado said, will face charges and revocation of their business permit, in coordination with the local government units (LGUs).
“I-check na siya ang srp unya dunay mag monitor nato diha. Kadtong masakpan i-report mana siya dayon, unsay problema ana nila ang ilang business permit,” he added. /rcg