Prices of basic agricultural commodities in Metro Manila have already declined after shooting up by as much as 45 percent during the months-long lockdown, with prices of some goods decreasing by as much as 71 percent, government data showed.
Based on the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) price monitoring reports, the prevailing retail prices of meat, fish and vegetables in public markets have gradually gone down as the metropolis and the rest of the country eased restrictions on the movement of people and goods.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar clarified in several press briefings that the rise in the prices of goods during the lockdown was not caused by a shortage in supply, but the gridlock in checkpoints that hampered the movement of agricultural produce.
Latest data from the DA showed that as of June 11, prices of basic goods have decreased by 3 percent to 71 percent, mainly apparent in vegetables prices.
For instance, a kilo of ampalaya, sitao and eggplant were sold for P94, P88 and P82 a kilo on the average during March 21, or during the height of price surges. By June 11, however, the same vegetables were priced at P80, P70 and P60 a kilo, respectively.
Meat and fish prices also declined. A kilo of “bangus,” tilapia, and “galunggong” went for an average of P177.50, P132 and P200 a kilo on March 21. But by June 11, these fish variants were going for P160, P120, and P160 a kilo on the average.
Whole dressed chicken and beef rump were priced at P160 and P377.50 a kilo last March 21, but prevailing rates also declined to P140 and P365 a kilo by June 11.
Garlic, which registered the highest price spike, was sold at P350 a kilo. Last week, however, its average price went down to P100 a kilo.
Stakeholders interviewed by the Inquirer, including a wet market vendor, a consumer and a supplier, said that they remained wary of these trends in prices, noting that prices had yet to stabilize.
As the number of new coronavirus cases in the country showed no signs of mellowing down—which could prompt the government to order another series of lockdowns— stakeholders said it was still too early to declare that current prices would become the “new normal.” INQ