DA warns unscrupulous traders over possible chicken price manipulation

MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday warned unscrupulous traders who may be behind a possible price manipulation in a public market in Metro Manila.

This came after the price per kilogram of chicken surged to P250 in Muñoz market, higher than the P200 to P210 prevailing retail price range.

"May nananamantala talaga, kaya tututukan namin itong palengke na ito at nasabihan naman na ang (Someone is taking advantage, that is why we are monitoring it and we already asked the) Muñoz market why they are selling at P250. Siguro, hindi naman ito lahat ng palengke, which is really an outcast doon sa regular na namo-monitor natin at nabebenta (Perhaps not in all the markets, which is really an outcast from those regularly monitored and sold)," DA Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa said in an interview.

De Mesa assured that they would look at "all possible angles" to identify the source of the price increase.

"Ang sinasabi nga ni Secretary (Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.), ang puntirya rito, hindi lang kasi iyong nagtitinda per se, especially iyong nasa receiving end. Kailangang tingnan lahat iyong pinanggalingan, baka mamaya may nananamantala (What the Secretary said is that the target here is not only the sellers per se, especially those on the receiving end. We need to look at it from all the sources, maybe someone is taking advantage), from the source, from the traders," he said.

He warned violators that under Republic Act 7581 or the Price Act, price manipulators may be liable for profiteering, which is defined as the sale or offering for sale of any basic commodity at a price "grossly in excess" of its true worth or equivalent to more than 10 percent from the preceding month.

De Mesa said the markup for chicken from farm gate prices should only be P50 per kg. to P70 per kg.

According to the United Broiler Raisers Association weekly prices as of July 12, the average price of regular-sized chicken is P139.60 in Tarlac, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, and Batangas.

For the Visayas and Mindanao, the prices of regular-size chicken range from P116 to P127 in Cebu, Leyte, Iloilo, Bacolod, and Davao.

Import ban

De Mesa, meanwhile, said that the import ban on eggs and other poultry products from Minnesota, USA may slightly affect the local prices as the country serves as the Philippines' major source of parent stocks (PS).

"Major source natin ang US ng mga PS, though may ibang areas naman na we can source iyong ating parent stocks. May kaunting effect (The US is our major source of PS, though there are other areas where we can source our parent stocks. There is a slight effect)," he said, citing the issuance of a temporary ban on the US due to the ongoing outbreak of Avian Influenza H5N1 subtype.

He, however, assured a stable supply of chicken in the country, negating the possibility of further price spikes of up to P300 per kg.

"Sa ngayon (for now), we are not seeing that. Hindi magti-P300 sa ngayon because of the supply na mayroon tayo ngayon, and the imports na dumating (It will not reach P300 for now because of the supply that we have and the incoming imports)," De Mesa said.

The DA, meanwhile, lifted its import ban on birds and poultry products from the Czech Republic after it declared the end of avian influenza, through DA Memorandum Order 30.

As of May 8, all avian influenza infections were confirmed to be resolved with no further outbreak reported in the Czech Republic. (PNA)