Evangelista

DA to probe price hikes

January 15, 2023 Cory Martinez 179 views

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is conducting its own investigation on the apparent pattern on the series of increasing prices of basic commodities.

This was revealed by DA Spokesperson, Assistant Secretary Kristine Evangelista during the Forum sa Dapo in Quezon City when asked if there is an apparent move from some groups or sectors to sabotage or embarrass the Marcos administration through the continuous hike of prices of basic commodities wherein the middle income earners and the poorest of the poor are greatly affected.

Evangelista disclosed that these observations already reached the department and the field inspectorate assistant secretary is now into investigation of whatever it is happening on the ground.

“What you observed is something that reached our office. The investigation will include those individuals who might be part of this (scheme),”Evangelista stressed.

It will be recalled that one month after the Marcos administration assumed in August last year, the prices of refined white sugar have reached to P100 per kilo. In January 2021, the said commodity was only at P60 per kilo.

The hike in prices of said commodity even became the result of an apparent issuance of order from the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) allowing the importation of refined white sugar. The SRA officials who were investigated for the said issuance of the order were recently cleared by Malacanang.

As the prices of white sugar has already on the downtrend at that time, the prices of other basic commodities like rice, canned goods and condiments have increased one after the one.

However, one of the commodities which price skyrocketed to as high as P700 per kilo at the last quarter of 2022 and that greatly affected almost majority of the Filipino is the red onion.

In a press conference last month, the DA reasoned out that the hike in the prices of red onion was caused by several factors like insufficient supply and the adverse effects of the recent typhoons that hit the country last year.

To help Filipinos afford to buy much cheaper red onion, the DA bought directly from the onion producers and sold the product to the Kadiwa Stores put up in several areas in Metro Manila.

Evangelista, however, reported during the forum that the farmgate prices of red onion had already lowered since last week, that is why several markets are already selling it at P400 per kilo.

But even the red onion have yet to be sold at a much lower price, the egg prices have reportedly increased by 45 per cent wherein the cost now is around P6.90 to P8.70 per piece.

She claimed that as the department is conducting into investigation on this trend on the prices of basic commodities, the DA is trying it best to address the problems.

“While we are facing all of these problems, we are focus on trying to find solutions,” Evangelista stressed.

With regards to the case of egg prices, Evangelista said that they are now checking on the supply situation since there are areas were affected by bird flu.

“That (bird flu) will definitely affect the supply situation but also, we looking into several layers, kasi nagsasabi rin ang ating mga end producers magkano amg kuha nila sa kanila ng itlog and then we compare it with that of the retail price. So we are coordinating with them to see the supply situation,” she added.

Evangelista also assured that the department is doing its best to eliminate certain layers of traders that will help bring down the prices of these commodities.

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