MANILA -- The Department of Agriculture said the high prices of garlic in the market is concerning, as retail prices hit P140-150 per kilo in Quezon City.

Officials of DA and the Department of Trade and Industry held a joint market visit on Monday to check the prices of basic commodities. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr said they were not happy with the current prices of garlic.  

"Ang hindi lang kami masaya na nakita is yung garlic. Medyo mahal yung garlic at 150 ang benta, P140-150 per kilo," Tiu-Laurel said. 

(We are not happy with the prices of garlic, it's a little too high at P140-150 per kilo.)

He noted that 95 percent of the garlic in wet markets is imported and said therefore should be easier to control. The Agriculture chief said the landed cost of garlic is just around P80 per kilo. With a P30-50 profit margin, garlic prices should not reach its current level. Tiu Laurel said the ideal retail price of garlic should just be around P100-110 per kilo.

"I think that's too much. So, pupulungin na, I'm just getting the final figures, then pupulungin namin yung mga importer para kausapin silang lahat," Tiu Laurel added.

(We will meet all the importers so we can talk to them.)

Tiu Laurel said the imposition of MSRP in garlic is possible, but only as a last resort if prices do not go down. Local garlic production has shrunk significantly in the country, with local produce only accounting for 5 percent of our supply.

"Well, ang problema sa local production ng garlic natin is kailangan dyan yung temperate weather, yung mas malamig ng konti. So, yung mga area na yun, logistically mahirap," Tiu Laurel said.

(The problem in our local garlic production is that it requires temperate weather, something cooler than our climate.)

"Pangalawa, yung ating planting material, yung traditional na garlic variety natin, maliliit siya. Pero iba lasa niya. Kaya yun, tuloy-tuloy yun. Kaya lang yung lumalabas, yun yung premium garlic," he added.

(Our traditional garlic variety is small but it has a different taste. It is the premium garlic that we have now.)

Most of garlic sold in Philippine markets were imported from China.

"Yung China naman, wala makatalo sa China sa production ng garlic sa buong mundo. Even Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, tayo, Taiwan, bumibili sa China," he added.

(No country can get up close to China in terms of garlic production. Even Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Taiwan, they buy from China.)

The DA says it has existing programs to expand our local garlic production.

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