The Department of Agriculture (DA) said it will impose a maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) on imported garlic after its price reached P160 per kilo in previous months.

The agriculture department did not say when it will be implemented but the agency noted that the MSRP will be imposed to prevent possible profiteering amid recent increases in the price of garlic.

In a radio interview on Wednesday, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., noted that the imposition of MSRP on imported garlic will not affect local farmers in the country.

"On garlic, we are quite sure on what we are going to do (imposition of MSRP) because basically 95 percent of it is imported. Since it's imported the farmers will not be affected," he said.

"The earnings of imported (products) should be minimal, so it will ease the burden to our consumers," he added.

Laurel also confirmed that there are a lot of suggestions for the imposition of MSRP on eggs but he confirmed that the agency does not yet see the need to do it.

On the other hand, the DA reduced the MSRP for imported rice to P45 per kilo from P49 starting Monday (March 31).

The agency stressed that further reduction on MSRP for imported rice reflected the global decline in rice prices. Robina Asido/DMS