Yap assures adequate supply of basic foodstuff in holidays

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap gave his assurance yesterday that there will be an adequate supply of basic foodstuff at stable prices in Metro Manila this Christmas despite the spate of super typhoons that damaged farmlands, fisheries and livestock in several provinces.

Citing the latest survey by the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS), Yap said prices and supply of rice, fish, meat, chicken and vegetables have remained stable in wet markets in Metro Manila.

Yap assured that the  Department of Agriculture has put in place several measures to ensure enough stocks of rice, chicken, meat, vegetables and other basic foodstuff at affordable prices between now and the yearend.

The BAS survey done after typhoons "Reming" and "Seniang" showed that   prices of vegetables remained generally stable in various wet markets because the areas hit by the typhoons were not major producers of vegetables.

Yap confirmed the BAS findings following an inspection Wednesday, Dec. 12, of basic goods sold at the Commonwealth Public Market in Quezon City.

According to the BAS survey , vegetable prices have remained stable with native pechay and carrots even reflecting price cuts after typhoon "Reming."

Native pechay, which was priced at P35 per kilo, is now at P20 per kilo, while carrots, which hit P50 a kilo, now costs only P40 a kilo.

Even fish prices, which are expected to rise, remained at levels before the typhoon.

Galunggong and alumahan remained at an average of P100 per kilo.

Tilapia prices increased slightly after the typhoon but later returned to its previous level of P70 per kilo, the BAS added.

Prices of meat  and chicken also spiked slightly after the typhoon, but have now returned to previous levels.

The price of regular-milled rice remained stable  at P22 per kilo before and after the typhoon.

Prices of whole dressed  chicken remained stable at between P110 and P120 per kilo, while pork liempo remained at P140 per kilo.

As for chicken, Yap recalled that the DA had already allowed an initial importation of three million kilos until the yearend to ensure enough supply at affordable prices during the holidays.

The  initial  import volume of whole chicken and leg quarters was agreed upon in an earlier consultative meeting between DA officials and stakeholders in the poultry industry following typhoon Milenyo which damaged an equivalent of  3,696 metric tons (MT) or about three million kilos of chicken meat.