Food prices remain stable

MANILA, Philippines - Food prices have remained stable even during the height of the Christmas and New Years celebration as the expected demand failed to materialize due to the weak economy.

Pork and poultry producers, who were hoping for demand to pick up by Dec. 15, failed to see an increase in demand in the run-up to the Christmas Noche Buena.

In fact, because of the lack of demand, groceries are now putting on sale some traditional food items before they get spoiled.

A survey of groceries showed ample stocks of chicken, meat products and the traditional ingredients for fruit salad, unlike in previous years when supply is practically depleted as the year ends.

Based on the price monitoring conducted by the Department of Agriculture on bagsakan centers, pork - particularly “pigue and kasim” - continued to retail at around P160 to P170 per kilo, while liempo sells from P170 to P175 per kilo.

Chicken prices, likewise, remained steady at P130 to P140 per kilo, enjoying only a slight uptick from the P120 to 130 price range just before the holiday season.

The good weather this December also kept fish prices stable with bangus selling from P90 to P100 per kilo and tilapia at the normal price of P70 to P85 per kilo.

Even vegetable prices were stable with ampalaya selling at P30 to P46 per kilo; cabbage from P45 to P65 per kilo; and carrots from P30 to P45 per kilo.

Tomatoes are retailing at a range of P30 to P40 a kilo, while red onions is being sold at P70 to P85 per kilo.

However, it is noticeable that the red onions flooding the market are mostly imported.

Eggplant is selling from P40 to P55 per kilo.