MANILA, Philippines — The new suggested retail price (SRP) for imported pork is currently being finalized and may be out this week, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said Wednesday.
The new SRP is based on the Executive No. 128, which the Senate and the country’s economic team have agreed to amend.
“May final discussions being done now, actually they made an initial report yesterday, hopefully within the week ay mayroon na kaming ilalabas na SRP doon sa imported pork,” Dar in an online briefing.
(Final discussions are being done now. Actually, they made an initial report yesterday; hopefully within the week we can release the new SRP for imported pork.)
The DA earlier set the SRP on imported pork as follows:
-Kasim (shoulder) – P270 per kilo for “kasim”
-Liempo (belly) – P350 a kilo
Under the Price Act, resellers can be penalized if they set their price outside the cap.
On April 7, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order 128 which temporarily reduced tariff rates on fresh, chilled, or frozen meat to address the shortage in pork supply and stabilize the prices of pork meats.
But the Senate, sitting as the Committee of the Whole, urged President Duterte to withdraw his order and to recall his recommendation to increase the importation of pork to the country.
Dar, meanwhile, assured that the country only imports pork products from countries without cases of African swine fever.
READ: Duterte declares state of calamity due to African swine fever