Increase in pork prices expected - hog raisers

An increase in the retail price of pork is expected with the anticipated hike in demand during the holiday season, the Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines (PPFP) said yesterday.

- BELLA CARIASO

In a radio interview, PPFP president Rolando Tambago said that even though the farmgate price of pork is low, once the product reaches the market through traders and retailers, it can be sold as high as P380 and P400, especially pork belly.

"The traders who buy from piggeries will sell the pigs to the viajeros until the pork reaches the retailers and the consumers. Usually, it passes at least five hands before it reaches the consumers," Tambago noted.

"There is a big possibility that the retail price of pork will increase because of the demand during Christmas but we are hoping that it is not that big," he added.

Based on monitoring of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Metro Manila markets, the retail price of pork shoulder ranges between P260 and P370 per kilo and pork belly, between P310 and P400 per kilo.