Consumers are facing another round of price increases this time in sardine and canned meat products starting the first week of September.

Several sardine manufacturers have advised the Department of Trade and Industry of a P0.50 to P0.65 increase per can of sardines.

In grocery stores, the cheapest 155-gram can of sardines costs a little over P11.00, while the most expensive ordinary sardines retails at nearly P13.00 per can.

The retail prices of sardines in sari-sari stores are slightly higher.

Due to the series of price upticks, consumers now look for cheaper and lesser known brands.

The Alliance of Fish Canners of the Philippines (AFCP) said the upward price adjustment is mainly due to a P5.00 per kilo increase in prices of Sardinella

AFCP executive director Francisco Buencamino also pointed out that the government has yet to fulfill its promise to give out diesel subsidy to fisherfolk in Zamboanga, where 80 percent of the country’s sardine supply is sourced.

"There will likely be another price adjustments for September and October because government failed to help the fish catchers," he said

Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes has already met with fisherfolk in Zamboanga but there are no guidelines yet on how the subsidy coming from VAT collections will be applied.

Sardine makers are calling on government to speed up the process to prevent the price of sardines from going up any further, as the fish gets harder to catch due to the onset of the cold season.

Meat processors also warned that prices of canned meat products such as corned beef, meat loaf and hotdogs could increase by September.

They said possible shortage of carabeef imported from India and the seasonal spike in demand during the onset of the Christmas season could lead to the price hike.

Despite enough pork supply, the meat processors group is asking the agriculture department to approve their request for additional accredited Indian processed meat plant, to ensure enough supply of carabeef for the holiday period. Alvin Elchico, ABS-CBN News