Rice, fish retail prices rise in early April; meat down

THE retail prices of rice and fish rose year on year in early April, while meat prices declined, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

During the April 1-5 period, which the PSA calls the first phase of April, the national average retail price of regular-milled rice increased 13.78% year on year to P51.11 per kilo. The first-phase price was also higher than the P48.69 average during the second phase of March (March 15-17) and the P47.47 average a month earlier.

In the National Capital Region (NCR), the retail price of regular-milled rice increased 10.48% year on year to P46.80 per kilo.

The national average retail price of well-milled rice rose 13.7% year on year to P58.44 per kilo in the first phase of April. The first-phase price of well-milled rice was also higher than the P56.60 average during the second phase of March and P55.19 a month earlier.

In the NCR, the retail price of well-milled rice rose 10.54% year on year to P55.15 per kilo.

The retail prices of special rice during the first phase of the month increased 8.35% year on year to a national average of P65.79 per kilo.

The national average retail price of galunggong (round scad) rose 12.68% year on year to P247.48 per kilo in the first phase of April, slightly lower than the P248.64 recorded in the second phase of March, but higher than P242.67 a month earlier.

Chicken at retail rose 0.61% year on year to P212.81 per kilo in the first phase of April. The national average is slightly higher than the P212 recorded in the second phase of March and P211.41 a month earlier.

Meanwhile, the retail price of kasim (pork shoulder) averaged P344.18 per kilo in the first phase of April, down 5.75% from a year earlier. The national average is higher than the P341.48 recorded in the second phase of March and P340.80 a month earlier.

The retail price of liempo (pork belly) declined 4.73% year on year to a national average of P368.83 per kilo. The first-phase price is higher than the P365.29 recorded in the second phase of March and P366.08 a month earlier. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel