According to the Filipino Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), prices of vegetables have dropped significantly. “Our (vegetable) prices are significantly lower at an average of 50 percent, much lower compared to February,” DA Secretary William Dar said in an online press briefing Wednesday. Dar added that since it is already in season, the supply of vegetables is abundant and prices are low.
For non-agricultural products, DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said there have been no price increases for basic necessities and commodities since September 2019. Both officials vowed to monitor the movement of prices and supply of food products in the domestic market to ensure that Filipinos would not be burdened with higher food prices while struggling amid the pandemic.
As reported on pna.gov.ph, inflation in March 2021 eased to 4.5 percent from the 26-month high of 4.7 percent in February.
