MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Garlic traders have听allegedly听听 conspired to manipulate the market, which resulted in the听sudden spike of听garlic price听to P280 per kilo, Senator听Cynthia听听 Villar said on Thursday.
鈥淭alagang ano yun manipulation (It鈥檚 really a manipulation),鈥� Villar said after the hearing of the Senate committee on agriculture, which she chairs, on the听rising听costs of agricultural products in the听country.
The senator wondered听 why the听 price听 of garlic听 would shot up to P280 per kilo听 when the local production cost听 of garlic was only P40 per kilo while听 the landed cost of imported garlic was only P17 a kilo, including听 taxes.
Senator Cynthia Villar. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
The reasonable price of garlic, she said, should only range from P70 to P100听听 per kilo.
Asked who had conspired to听manipulate the听price, Villar听said:听 鈥淵ung mga traders (The traders).
鈥淜asi sobrang taas.听 If the bawang is P100, that鈥檚 acceptable (Because it鈥檚 too听high. If the garlic听is听P100, that鈥檚 acceptable),鈥� she added.
But Villar said the听Department of Justice and the Department听of Trade and Industry have yet to trace the garlic traders听who were involved in听the alleged price manipulation.
鈥淜asi sila talaga ang may kasalanan (Because they are really the ones at fault),鈥� she pointed out.
Asked if she thinks concerned government agencies tolerated the听price manipulations, the senator said: 鈥淚n a way because by not doing anything,听they tolerated.鈥�
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In the meantime,听the government听would impose a price ceiling or suggested retail price on garlic.
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