PSA statistics indicated that farmgate prices of chicken during the past month and first half of October increased by P15 a kilo on the average for off size chickens.

Expensive chickens A consumer group is urging the Department of Agriculture to strengthen its monitoring of the retail prices of chicken along with its ongoing efforts to contain the ASF epidemic.

A consumer group over the weekend reported that the outbreak of the African swine fever (ASF) has led to an increased demand for chicken, thus driving retail prices to “abnormally high” levels this quarter.

As a result, it is thus urging the Department of Agriculture (DA) to step in and strengthen its monitoring of the retail prices of chicken along with its ongoing efforts to contain the ASF epidemic.

The group added that the holiday season is also expected to further exert pressure prompting commodity prices to go up.

By closely monitoring the prices, the group said consumers can be assured that traders and sellers would not take advantage of the spiking demand for chicken.

“As per inquiry with Atty Bong Inciong of the United Broiler-Raisers Association (UBRA), the ASF epidemic had caused the shift in demand for chicken. He said the last quarter and first quarter of the year are periods of soft farmgate prices, but this year is different,” the group said in a statement.

It also cited data culled from the Philippine Statistic Authority (PSA) which has tracked an upswing in farmgate prices.

PSA statistics indicated that farmgate prices of chicken during the past month and first half of October increased by P15 a kilo on the average for off size chickens. Prices of regular size and prime size chickens stood at P115 a kilo as opposed to the P100 a kilo recorded a month ago.