THE nationwide average retail prices of rice and pork both dropped in early October, according to a report from the Philippine Statistics Authority on Friday.
Regular-milled rice from Oct. 1 to 5 hit P49.79 per kilogram, lower than P49.97 per kg in mid-September and P50.00 per kg in early September.
Year-on-year, the retail price of regular-milled rice in early October 2026 was higher than P40.12 per kg in mid-October 2025 and early October last year at P40.20 per kg.
Fresh pork in early October of this year costs P290.85 per kg, showing a decrease from P295.58 in mid-September and P297.78 in early September.
Likewise, fresh pork price in early October 2026 was lower than mid and early October 2025 prices of P320.98 per kilogram and P323.58 per kilogram, respectively.
Other agricultural products also had lower prices in early October.
Tilapia in early October was at P185.27 per kg, this was lower versus P186.65 in mid-September and P186.00 in early September.
However, compared to the same period last year, tilapia in early October costs higher than the P182.31 in mid-October and P182.60 in early October.
Eggplant was priced at P104.41 per kilogram in early October of this year, lower than P111.83 in mid-September and P114.63 in early September 2026.
However, it was higher compared to P100.35 in late October 2025 and P98.33 in early October 2025.
Hawaiian ginger was priced at an average of P161.93 per kilogram in early October 2026, down from P163.69 in late September and P164.14 in early September 2026.
In comparison to last year’s prices, Hawaiian ginger in early October 2026 is also lower than the P170.74 recorded in late October 2025 and P172.84 in early October 2025.
Refined sugar costs P82.29 per kilogram in early October, slightly lower than P82.60 in late September and P82.53 in early September 2026. It was also lower than P83.16 in late October 2025 and P83.37 in early October 2025.
Among the products, only Carabao mango’s price per kilogram increased in early October, as showed by the PSA.
Carabao mango costs P198.97 per kilogram in early October 2026, higher than P189.41 in late September and P182.79 in early September 2026. It also increased compared to P175.81 in late October 2025 and P176.79 in early October 2025.
CHYNNA GRACE ONG
