The Department of Agriculture (DA) will ramp up efforts to keep food prices stable this year, warning errant retailers that unjustified price hikes will not be tolerated.

This was amid the high food prices in various wet markets, particularly vegetables.

“We have already issued show-cause orders. I want the summaries of their explanations submitted to me so we can study what cases to file,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said. “I want cases filed. Sometimes, you need to create a paper trail. It’s a deterrent.”

Tiu Laurel added that the DA will closely monitor food prices in major urban areas, stressing that the Department will strictly enforce existing rules requiring traders and retailers to explain sharp increases in the prices of basic agricultural products, including rice, vegetables, fish and meat.

Those who fail to comply may face further investigation in coordination with other government agencies.

“If they are not cooperating and the information they give is false or lacking, that becomes subject to further investigation,” he said.

Tiu Laurel noted that if false statements are uncovered during probes, more serious charges — such as perjury for false statements made under oath — may be pursued, while also acknowledging gaps in the current legal framework.

“The mere fact that the police are asking questions already makes a difference. We are not talking about arrests, but calling them in to explain where their goods really come from,” he added.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported earlier this week that food inflation recorded an annual increase of 1.2 percent in December 2025, reversing a 0.3 percent annual decline in the previous month. In December 2024, food inflation stood at 3.5 percent.

The PSA attributed the uptick mainly to a slower annual decline in rice prices, which eased to 12.3 percent in December from 15.4 percent in November 2025. Also contributing to the increase was the faster inflation rate for vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas, and pulses, which rose to 11.6 percent from 4.0 percent in the previous month.

Stabilizing food prices remains a core government priority, with the DA implementing maximum suggested retail prices for onions, chilies, and rice in response to price spikes during the holiday season.

Tiu Laurel pointed to the recent decline in onion and rice prices as proof that stricter oversight works. “Prices have gone down — from P300 to P200 a kilo, and now even lower in some areas. Clearly, there is an effect when there is monitoring and pressure,” he said. “We just have to keep at it to protect consumers and ensure fair trade.”