Cooperatives may sell eggs directly to retailers – DA

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) is looking at negotiating with market masters to allow agriculture cooperatives to directly sell products, particularly eggs, to retailers to mitigate the possible egg price increase.

One of the measures the DA is looking at is for cooperatives to sell directly to retailers in wet markets to reduce egg prices, which are projected to increase to P15 per piece, DA Undersecretary-designate for consumer and political affairs Kristine Evangelista said over dzBB yesterday.

“This measure will hopefully influence prices of eggs in the wet market,” she said.

“If the market masters will allow coops to sell directly to retailers, they don’t have to compete with retailers. At least one layer of trader will be reduced,” Evangelista said.

Apart from direct selling to retailers, the DA also plans to roll out more Kadiwa stores.

“We are going to mobilize Kadiwa stores so consumers can have access to cheaper eggs in coordination with local government units. We are now in talks for Kadiwa on wheels in certain barangays,” Evangelista said.

These measures are being lined up after party-list agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines Inc. warned of egg prices going up to P15 per piece.

The party-list said the price hike is driven by low egg supply amid high input and electricity costs.

In the National Capital Region, prices of medium-sized eggs range from P6.50 to P7.50 per piece, based on monitoring by the DA as of yesterday.

Evangelista said the DA’s intervention would be focused on lowering the production costs of egg producers to have a ripple effect on retail prices. The production costs include electricity and feeds.

She said the agency is addressing the concern through the Bureau of Animal Industry, which will launch programs to help producers.

“It’s the farm gate price, the cost of production that we need to address. We need to help producers to lower the cost of production. If we are successful in doing that, they can produce more,” the DA official said.