Small retailers are welcome to join the country’s leading supermarkets in bringing down the price of sugar to PHP70 per kilo, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said Thursday.
This, after Trade Undersecretary Ruth Castelo bared that a number of small supermarket owners signified their intent to lower the price of white refined sugar.
“They are most welcome to join us kung kaya nila na makapagbenta rin ng PHP70 per kilo na white refined sugar (if they can also sell white refined sugar at PHP70 per kilo),” Castelo said during the Laging Handa program.
The owners of Robinsons Supermarket, SM Supermarket, and Puregold Price Club earlier heeded President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s call to offer cheaper sugar to their consumers, amid the sudden spike in the prices of the commodity in the market.
No deal was forged between the government and the major supermarket owners, as they only heeded Marcos’ appeal to lower the sugar prices.
Castelo reminded small groceries that the only incentive they could get from the government is the promotion of their business, in exchange for their commitment to lower the prices of sugar.
“So, ‘yung maliliit na supermarkets kung okay sa kanila (for the small supermarkets, if it’s okay with them), they can signify their intention para maisali rin natin doon sa programa (so that we include in the program). And we can also help promote them,” she said.
SM stores vowed to sell their inventory on washed sugar at PHP70 per kilo, while Robinsons Supermarket and Puregold promised to unload a million kilo each at PHP70 per pack of one kilo.
Consumers can only purchase one kilo of sugar to avoid possible household hoarding by some enterprising consumers.
The Marcos administration is stepping up its campaign against hoarders and profiteers to lower the price of sugar.
Malacañang also ordered law enforcement authorities to visit and inspect all Customs-bonded warehouses to check on the inventory of imported agricultural products.
On Monday, the Office of the President confirmed that the supposed shortage in the country is “artificial” and merely caused by hoarding of unscrupulous traders. (PNA)