PRICE HIKES IN 12 FOOD ITEMS SEEN

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has recorded price increases in at least 12 commonly used food items during the Christmas season.

The DTI will release today a list of 195 stock keeping units, or categories, of those products whose price increases ranged between P0.50 and P56.6.

Among those items are hams, fruit cocktails, cheeses (including queso de bola), mayonnaise, sandwich spread, pasta (including macaroni), spaghetti sauce and tomato sauce.

Ham prices ranged between P163 and P892, while fruit cocktails cost between P56 and P288.

Queso de bola is sold between P199.50 to P513.75, while cheese sells at P54.35 to P371.

Spaghetti sauce sells between P23.55 and P95.50, while tomato sauce costs P17.25 to P92.25.

Cream is sold at P63 to P75. Mayonnaise prices range from P24 to P234, indicating an increase of P0.60 to P23.45 compared to last year. Sandwich spread now sells from P26 to P252, following price increases of P0.60 to P13.16.

Elbow and salad macaroni are now sold at P23 to P119 and P39 to P117, respectively, after prices of both items were raised to P4 to P27.50.