PPCC to investigate high prices of fish

The Provincial Price Coordinating Council (PPCC) in the province of Bohol will probably conduct an investigation this coming week on the monitored high prices of fisheven if the province is under the implementation of price freeze due to COVID-19.
But fish vendors emphasized that high prices are brought about by less fish catch due to full moon.
Rosanna G. Lamdagan, Chief-Agribusiness Division, Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) said that based on the daily monitoring by the OPA who is one of the members of the PPCC, the average increase of the non-high-end fishes is P50.
However, Lamdagan disclosed that the prices on high-end fishes have relatively decreased with an average of almost P100.
She said that the PPCC is determined to implement the sanctions to those who violated the price freeze by pushing the prices high which are not cognizant with the suggested price ceilings set by the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh).
Based on the price monitoring from the different wet markets in the province the other day, the prices of non-high-end fishes are the following: bangus-P200, salimbagon-P300, tulingan-P280, tamban tuloy-P140, galunggong-P260, tamarong-P280, molmol-P250, danggit-P-P300, hasa-hasa-P250, and tilapia-P160 much higher compared to the prices of the same classification last Monday.
However, the high-end fishes and other fishery products have been lowered like Katambak from P450 last Monday it became P320 per kilo the other day; shrimps (P400 to P350).
During the daily monitoring, the monitoring team received complaints from fish vendors regarding operations of illegal fish peddlers along the roads and national highways that accordingly would really affect sales at public markets.
They said that it is unfair for them who have religiously been paying the required permits, Lamdagan added.
She said the government should look into it to come up with a win-win solution considering the crisis that we are facing now wrought about by COVID-19 that would affect the living condition of every individual.
The traders are warned not to take advantage by intentionally pushing the prices high, otherwise, they will be penalized under the implementation of price freeze law.
It may be recalled that the NBI apprehended one rice trader last month who violated the order by pushing up the prices of rice into an average of six pesos kilo.
Meanwhile, Lamdagan also reported that the prices of vegetables and rice have been lowered.
The squash which could be bought at P35 per kilo and the other day can be bought at P20/kilo; eggplant and beans from P90 to P55-P60/kilo; ampalaya (P90 to P40-P60/kilo); sayote (P40 to P25-P30/kilo); while pechay among others remain as ease.
The prices of well-milled and regular-milled rice have been monitored, showing decrease in prices from P46 to P43 and from P43 to P40 per kilo or an average of P2 to P3 decrease per kilo. (AtoyCosap)

BIG DISPARITYon prices of fish from the other week and last Monday compared to the prices of the other day wherein the tulingan could be bought at ₱160 and days later it became ₱280 per kilo.