The Department of Agriculture (DA) is considering the imposition of a maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) on garlic to prevent possible profiteering, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel said.

But he said that imposing an MSRP on garlic will have to wait as the DA remains primarily on controlling the prices of rice and pork for now.

Secretary Tiu Laurel explained that while the proposal to impose an MSRP on garlic has been under discussion, it was placed on hold after the price per kilo dropped to around P100, down from a peak of P160.

That higher price was double the estimated landed cost of P80 per kilo. The Philippines imports around 95 percent of the garlic it consumes.

Given the current price, which the DA considers reasonable, the proposal for MSRP remains on standby. However, if prices rise anew, the DA will likely proceed with the plan.

“Since the price has fallen to around P100 a kilo, we had to hold back. I think the current price is reasonable given their cost of around P80,” Tiu Laurel said. “But if prices spike again, we will definitely implement an MSRP.”

The DA is also closely monitoring the prices of eggs to ensure they don’t rise to unreasonable levels. Tiu Laurel noted that rising demand due to election spending and increasing chicken mortality from higher temperatures are contributing factors to the price fluctuations.

He said DA monitoring places egg prices within the P6-P8 range, lower than the reported P10-P12.

“There are some who are suggesting we implement na MSRP on eggs but, as with other goods like rice and pork, we have to consult stakeholders stakeholders first so as not to shock the industry,” he said.

On March 31, the DA further reduced the MSRP for imported rice to P45 per kilo from P49, reflecting the global decline in rice prices. For pork, the DA set an MSRP of P380 per kilo for liempo and P350 per kilo for kasim and pigue. While compliance has improved, it is still not at the ideal level. ### (Photo by DA-AFID)