BY ADRIAN P. NEMES III
Meat prices in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, continue to increase by P2 to P21, as of yesterday.
Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena, in his report to Governor Eugenio Lacson, said carabao meat is now sold in the market for P268.21 per kilo from the previous P264.40, or an increase of more than P2 for every kilo.
Decena said beef products increased by at least P3, and now cost P278.21 per kilo from P274.45, while chevron, or goat meat, is up by P8 per kilo, or P337.39 from P329.33 last week.
The biggest increase was noted in pork products and broiled chicken, with P15 and P21 price hikes noted, respectively. Pork is sold for P220 per kilo from P204.75, while broiler chicken’s market price is at P180 per kilo from P159.35, he said.
The price of native chicken remains stable at P253.24 per kilo.
Decena attributed the increase to several factors, that include the rise in demand, the high cost of feeds, expensive transport cost, and increase in the live weight prices of livestock animals, among others.
Decena also said he believes that the increase in meat products in the market was due to the mushrooming of illegal meat stores along the highways in some areas in the province, that is prohibited since selling of these products should be done in licensed stores and meat shops.
The Provincial Veterinary Office has already surveyed places in the province where illegal sales of meat products are conducted.
As to the increasing prices of eggs in the province, Decena said, it is caused by meager supply from Iloilo and Bantayan in Cebu, among others.
Small eggs are now sold at P6.66 per piece, medium eggs – P7.33, large eggs – P8, extra-large eggs – P8, and salted eggs – P12.88.*
