The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Thursday assured that the country has a sufficient supply of salt.

The assurance came after the DTI approved an increase in salt prices.

“On the issue of supply, we have sufficient supply,” Trade Undersecretary Ruth Castelo said during the Laging Handa program, noting that the country would not experience a supply shortage as it has four large salt manufacturers and plenty of imported salt.

Castelo explained that the recent price hikes for salt were granted because these prices have been unchanged for roughly six years.

“Itong mga manufacturers na ito ay sobrang tagal na na hindi nagtataas ng presyo. Parang umabot na ng four, five, six years bago sila nag-request ulit. So sa computations natin, talaga namang dapat lang na itaas natin ang presyo (These manufacturers have not adjusted the prices of salt. It took about four, five, six years before they asked for the price hike. So, based on our computations, it is necessary to increase the price),” she said.

Based on the DTI’s suggested retail price (SRP) bulletin released on August 12, the prices of several salt brands have increased.

The SRP for iodized rock salt was set at PHP21.75 for 500 grams and PHP23 for 1 kg.

The DTI also approved the PHP4.50 SRP for a 100-gram pack of iodized salt; PHP9 to PHP12.75 for 250 grams; PHP16 to PHP23.25 for 500 grams; and PHP29 for 1 kg.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) earlier bared its plan to improve the local production of salt to stop the country’s dependence on imports.

This was after the DA noted that the Philippines imports about 550,000 metric tons of salt every year, or approximately 93 percent of the country’s salt requirement. (PNA)