No increase in meat prices

CEBU, Philippines - Suppliers will not raise the prices of local meat in the market despite the bad weather conditions that continue to affect the agricultural sector.

This was the assurance given by the president of the Central Visayas Pork Production Cooperative (CVPPC), Roland Tambago.

Tambago said bad weather affects them because of the supply of animal feeds, of which corn is the main ingredient.

Recently, Luzon experienced typhoons Pedring, Quiel and Ramon that left an estimated damage of more than P12 billion in the agricultural sector.

Tambago said that it has affected the supply of animal feeds in the Visayas, which sources feeds from Luzon and Mindanao.

While he sees a likely increase in the cost of animal feeds because of the disastrous effects of the typhoons, Tambago said they will not pass this on to the consumers. Instead, they will just shoulder the price difference.

“Because of the possible problem on corn supply, eventually there will be a minimal increase on the prices of feeds sold in the market here in the Visayas but we, as producers, will have to shoulder that increase and will not pass it to our consumers and let them suffer,” Tambago said in a statement sent by the Philippine Information Agency-Regional Office.

Even if local feed producers are prioritizing the products of the local farmers, the imported products like wheat from Russia counts a lot as an alternative ingredient that can also be used to make flour and hog feeds, Tambago added. (FREEMAN)