To temper rising food prices and ease consumer anxiety ahead of the holiday season, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to reimpose a maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) on key commodities such as onions and pork, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced Thursday.
Tiu Laurel said the move aims to curb possible overpricing and profiteering by retailers amid reports of price manipulation despite stable farmgate prices.
“We may restore the MSRP for onions since imports are sufficient, but prices remain high. I suspect retailers are taking advantage,” he said.
The proposed MSRP for imported red onions could range between ₱100 and ₱120 per kilo, compared to current market prices of around ₱140 per kilo, which Laurel described as “too high for imported goods.”
He added that the farmgate price for pork has been set at ₱210 per kilo, with coordination and information drives underway nationwide.
“Technically, it is effective, but we still need to meet with all regional stakeholders. Full implementation may take a week or two,” he said.
Laurel also raised the possibility of an MSRP for pork, citing the wide gap between farmgate and retail prices. “If farmgate prices are low, pork should not retail at ₱360 or ₱380. It should be ₱330,” he noted.
The DA expects to finalize and implement both onion and pork MSRPs within two weeks, following consultations with retailers and industry stakeholders.
The move forms part of government efforts to stabilize food prices as consumer demand rises during the Christmas season.
