Average prices of meat, particularly pork and chicken, have yet to stabilize in Negros Occidental even as the price cap in Metro Manila is expected to affect the wet market prices in the province.

This week’s monitoring of Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) showed that prices are still high for at least the third consecutive week, with pork now averaging at PHP225.10 per kilogram, higher by PHP20.34 higher compared to only PHP204.76 last week.

Dr. Renante Decena, provincial veterinarian, said in a statement on Wednesday that local meat vendors still have previous orders with high live weight price, which is still reflected in the current average prices.

He added that some backyard raisers also hold on to their supply, waiting for prices to increase as the live weight price has already gone down to PHP125 to PHP150 per kilogram.

“Let’s see the result in the coming days on how traders and buyers will strategize and how the market will react,” Decena said as the price ceiling took effect on Feb. 8.

Also, the prevailing average price of chicken is now at PHP182.96 per kilogram, which is higher by PHP23.51 compared to the previous week’s PHP159.35.

In its monitoring, the PVO also noted an increase of PHP3.43 in the price of carabeef (carabao meat) — from PHP264.40 per kilogram last week to PHP267.83 this week.

The prevailing average price of beef is PHP280.95 from the previous PHP274.45, with an increase of PHP6.50 per kilogram while PHP8.00 increase was observed in the price of chevon (goat meat) — from PHP329.33 last week to PHP337.39 per kilogram this week. (PNA)