Galunggong galore

When NFA rice became scarce in the market due to low inventory early this year, the government imported 250,000 metric tons (MT) of rice from Vietnam and Thailand to shore up stock.

With the delivery of the imported rice in June, the popular NFA rice priced at P27 and P32 per kilo made a comeback, giving the poor relief from commercial rice then priced at P36 to P38 per kilo.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is now using the same tack to tackle the high price of galunggong (GG), dubbed the poor man’s fish.

DA Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol on Wednesday approved the importation of up to 17,000 MT of round scad for delivery by 1 September. Fishermen’s groups, sellers and food processors were allowed to import the fish to be sold wholesale at the Navotas Fishport.

Currently, the price of GG is at P240 per kilo. The DA has set the suggested retail price of round scad to P140 per kilo when the imported fish arrive.

Although the strategy to lower the fish price is premised on the law of supply and demand, the government applies a simple formula to deal with rising inflation: the more the merrier.

The more galunggong in the market the lower its price more low-income families can afford it.