MANILA, Philippines – Expect an increase in the prices of ham in supermarkets in the next few days as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) granted a request of manufacturers.

According to DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez, the retail cost of ham may increase from two (2) to eleven (11) percent depending on the size.

The DTI said the manufacturers’ demand for higher prices of ham was due to an increase in the price of raw materials in making it Lopez said.

Based on the DTI data, the price of ham may go up from P10 to P30 per piece.

A 500 grams of ham in October 2019 was P155 to P189. In October 2018, the price was between P145 to P169.

Now its price ranges between P270 to P949 in October 2019 while a pound of ham sells between P299 to P1,025.

However, the DTI said it has detected an increase in the price of other Noche Buena products. (Gelica Paulo/IAMIGO/CNS)