Rice, fish, selected meat prices sharply higher in early May

RICE, FISH and selected meat prices rose year on year in early May, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported.

During the May 1-5 period, which the PSA calls the first phase of May, the national average retail price of regular-milled rice rose 18.2% to P51.59 per kilo. The first-phase price was lower than the P51.62 average during the second phase of April (April 15-17), but higher than the P51.19 average a month earlier.

In the National Capital Region (NCR), the retail price of regular-milled rice increased 12.6% year on year to P46.63 per kilo.

Well-milled rice prices rose 15.8% to P58.33 per kilo year on year in the first phase of May, falling from P58.88 in the second phase of April and P58.34 a month earlier.

In the NCR, well-milled rice prices were 10.4% higher year on year at P55.15 per kilo.

Retail prices for special rice rose 10.6% year on year to P66.07.

Galunggong (round scad) retail prices rose 10.9% year on year to P238.78 per kilo in the first phase of May, against the P233.27 during the second phase of April and the P247.68 posted a month earlier.

At retail, chicken prices rose 0.5% year on year to P211.73 per kilo during the first phase of May, against the P212.49 posted during the second phase of April and the P212.83 recorded a month earlier.

The average retail price for kasim (pork shoulder) fell 6.1% year on year to P346.93 per kilo during the first phase of May. However, this was higher than the P346.16 recorded in the second phase of April and P344.41 a month earlier.

Retail prices for liempo (pork belly) fell 5.7% year on year to P369.29 per kilo, which was higher than the P368.53 during the second phase of May and the P369.13 recorded during the first phase of April. — Pierce Oel A. Montalvo