Trade

Enough Supply of Basic Goods
Price Increases In Some Items

By Venus G. Villanueva

Aklan’s supply of basic goods, as monitored by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Kalibo, Aklan for the month of November was sufficient and prices remained stable vis-à-vis last month’s.
However, DTI-Aklan head, Provincial Director Ermelinda Pollentes, also noted that some items were found to have increased in prices significantly due to higher purchase cost.
The DTI observation contained in its Monthly Price Monitoring Report on Basic Necessities and Prime Commodities also noted that more items sold in supermarkets and groceries had price increases, compared with those sold in wet markets.
In the DTI’s list, five (5) items increased in prices in the wet market while 14 items being sold in groceries and supermarkets registered price increases.
Two common items sold in both groceries and wet market that had a marked price increase were Nido Full Cream powdered milk and Silver Swan vinegar. On the other hand, groceries listed six (6) brands of wheat flour among items with price increases, three (3) brands of fluorescent/incandescent lamps, a brand of laundry soap, another bottled vinegar brand and a snap tumbler switch.
Various brands of wheat flour are mostly sold at groceries and supermarkets in Aklan.According to the monitoring report last month, supermarkets/groceries were given rebates on Mr. Clean Detergent/Laundry soap (420 gm.) so its price went down at P12.20. But this month, its price went back to P16.50. In the report, this laundry soap registered the highest percentage increase of 32.79 percent followed by Amigo Soft Flour, 21.19 percent; Gold Key Soft Flour 25 kg., 20.83 percent; Mega Soft Flour 25 kg., 20.17 percent ; and Firefly Snap tumbler Switch, 20 percent .
The DTI has also included in its monitoring the supply and prices of Noche Buena products owing to the coming holiday season.
Monitored by the DTI for the period were 4 stores at the Kalibo Wet Market and 10 grocery stores/supermarkets. Seven (7) hardware stores were also monitored. /MP