As an early Christmas gift of sorts to consumers, makers of noche buena food items have “committed" not to increase prices of their products until yearend, the Department of Trade and Industry said Saturday.
According to DTI Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya, manufacturers made this commitment at a meeting with the DTI last week, along with a promise there will be no shortage of noche buena food stuff.
“Kung ano ang presyo [ng noche buena items] sa ngayon, siya na rin ang presyo hanggang December and the end of the year. So wala tayong dapat ipangambang may bagong adjustment pa. Ito ang commitment ng (food manufacturers)," she said in an interview on dwIZ radio.
She said those at the meeting included makers of pasta, sauces, cheese, and even ham.
Maglaya said many of the manufacturers had increased their prices earlier this year, some of them did so as late as September.
She even hinted at possible price drops in flour, saying “Wheat prices are stable, and there is a possible downward trend. We will wait for flour millers’ advice on whether they will bring down prices."
Moreover, she said that so far, there has been no report of profiteering in time for the Christmas shopping season.
Meanwhile, Maglaya said the DTI will monitor prices of sardines, amid reports some companies are planning to increase the prices of their products.
DTI is still studying the basis of the price hikes and will ask for a rollback if price adjustments are unjustified, she said. — LBG
