A P16 increase in the average retail price of red onions was observed in Negros Occidental in the first half of May, records from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed Wednesday, May 17.
Data released by the PSA showed that the price per kilo of red onions increased by P16, from an average price of P110.67 in the second half of April to P126.67/kilo in the first half of May.
A slight increase was also seen in the average prices of beef with bones with a P5 difference from P366.50 to P371.50/kilo, cabbage by P3.80 from P97.52 to P101.32/kilo, carrots by P1.83 from P86.50 to P88.33/kilo, eggplant by P3.82 from P103.34 to P107.16/kilo, native pechay by P3 from P100.84 to P103.84/kilo, pork with bones by P1 from P296.50 to P297.50/kilo, and a P0.20/kilo increase per kilo for regular and well-milled rice from P44.60 to P44.80 and P44.97 to P45.17, respectively.
Records also showed significant decreases in prices per kilo for various commodities such as white potatoes with a P15 difference from P139.67 to P124.67 in the first half of May, P10 for bangus from P250 to P240/kilo, galunggong by P6.66 from P243.33 to P236.67;
Tomatoes by P7 from P70.67 to P63.67, ampalaya by P6.66 from P127.33 to P120.67, pure beef meat by P5 from P378.83 to P373.83, Hawaiian ginger by P3.16 from P85.83 to P82.67, imported garlic by P2.50 from P119.17 to P116.67, dressed chicken by P1.67 from P198 to P196.33, brown sugar by P1 from P82.30 to P81.30, medium-sized chicken eggs by P0.25 per piece from P9.12 to P8.87, and special rice by P0.04 from P57.54 to P57.40/kilo.
Other commodities monitored also showed steady prices in the province which include pork kasim at P290/kilo, pork liempo at P304, tilapia at P215, string beans at P97.50, latundan banana at P54.67, calamansi P93.68, mango carabao P164/67, and papaya at P53.50, the PSA added.
Meanwhile, PSA records released last week also showed that the Western Visayas inflation rate slowed down in April to 8.2 percent from 9.1 percent in March.
This rate is higher compared to the country’s overall inflation rate which is at 6.6 percent in April compared to 7.6 percent in March.
Western Visayas still has the highest inflation rate compared to other regions of the country including the National Capital Region.
The average inflation rate of areas outside NCR was 6.5 percent last month compared to 7.5 percent in March.*