DESPITE the feared impact of the El Nino dry spell, prices and supply of agricultural products have remained generally stable.

Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary Salvador Salacup reported at the National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC) meeting Thursday that prices and supply of rice, chicken, pork, vegetables and fish are stable.

Salacup said the DA is meeting next week with stakeholders in the poultry sector for a possible lowering of the price reference band for chicken, noting that the lower farm gate of chicken does not reflect the retail prices of chicken in the market.

Farm gate price of chicken is at P58 a kilo, but the retail price of chicken is between P125 to P130 a kilo.

“A lower SRP (suggested retail price) band could improve consumption and sales volume of chicken,” Salacup said.

Lawyer Ilias Jose of the United Broilers and Raisers Association said that from the farm gate prices, there should be between P26 and P30 margins. At a farm gate price of P58 a kilo, the retail price of chicken should be around P110 only.

Ernesto M. Ordonez of the Alyansa Agrikultura has blamed the government for allowing huge importations, thus causing oversupply of chicken in the market.

The DA is also set to change the SRP of sugar from the current P52 a kilo to P50 a kilo as prices and supply of sugar are easing up.

Rice is also stable as summer harvest is coming in.

Prices of tilapia and bangus are at the average range in the last four years of between P80 and P100, respectively. Prices of vegetables are also stable and supplies are abundant.

Pork, however, is still at its high of P176 a kilo because of the limited supply since December last year.