SRP limits eyed on pork, onions, carrots

MANILA, Philippines — The government is set to issue recommended price ceilings for several imported pork cuts, as well as onions and carrots shipped from overseas, in a bid to temper price spikes ahead of the holiday season.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced maximum suggested retail prices for these goods at a press conference yesterday, saying the move comes after reports of excessive markups recently observed in local markets.

Under the proposal, imported liempo (pork belly) would be priced at about P370 per kilogram, while imported kasim (pork shoulder) and pigue (pork ham) would be set at around P340.

White onions and red onions – both local and imported – would carry a suggested price of P120 per kg.

Imported carrots would also be priced at P120 per kg, according to the agriculture chief.
“If we can achieve these prices, maybe we can lower them a bit in the future,” Tiu Laurel said in Filipino.

He added that the measures are expected to take effect by the start of December or even sooner and will remain in place until the end of January.

Tiu Laurel said monitoring teams from the Department of Agriculture (DA) will start making rounds next week to check markets and ensure retailers follow the suggested price limits.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary Genevieve Guevarra said retailers found violating the suggested prices will be issued show-cause orders and may face legal action for profiteering.

She said penalties for profiteering include fines and imprisonment of up to six years.

Aside from the suggested prices for these products, Tiu Laurel said the government also plans to set a floor price of P210 per kg for live hogs.
“We are still exploring ways to enforce this legally,” he said, noting that the floor price will not be merely a suggested rate.

Rice subsidy
Meanwhile, the DA plans to onboard 15 million people, or a little over a tenth of the country’s population, under its rice subsidy program, which will receive around P23 billion in funding in 2026.

Tiu Laurel said yesterday they plan to fund the “P20 Benteng Bigas” program next year using the National Food Authority (NFA)’s P9-billion budget, and another P10 billion under the proposed 2026 budget for the DA.

He added that they also intend to tap the unused portion of a separate P5-billion allocation for this year, which he estimates will exceed P4 billion.

Tiu Laurel made the announcement following the launch of the program’s masterlist registry system, a database developed in-house by the DA as part of efforts to streamline operations and enhance oversight.