BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson appealed to local traders yesterday to not take advantage of the high prices of pork and meat products because of the African swine fever threat.
“Moderate income is reasonable,” Lacson said.
He blamed the increase in the prices of pork, not on the lack of supply but on traders increasing their buying price from hog raisers, with profits more than double when the product reaches the markets.
The Provincial Veterinary Office said dressed boiler chicken increased by 21.27 per kilo, as of Feb. 1.
From P159.35 per kilo two weeks ago, it went up to P180.62 per kilo this week, the PVO report said.
The PVO also reported an increase of P15.69 per kilo in the price of pork, compared to its cost in the last two weeks, from an average price of P204.76 to P213.40 per kilo, to the present P220.45.
In Manila, a kilo of pork was being sold for as high as P450, since January. Following the issuance of an executive order by President Rodrigo Duterte putting a cap on pork prices at P300 per kilo in Metro Manila, Lacson said it also affects Negros Occidental as commercial high raisers reduced prices by P20 per kilo.*
