Saturday, April 05, 2008 No panic buying in city, DTI says By Carlo P. Mallo
RESIDENTS of Davao City are seemingly not worried that they will run out of food anytime soon, as there has been no discernible panic-buying here unlike in Manila, an official of the Department of trade and Industry 11 said.
However, the same official said the trade department is closely monitoring the various groceries and markets in Davao City to guard against unscrupulous traders who might take advantage of the fragile situation that the country is in right now amid loud talks about a rice crisis.
People are not rushing to stock on food, not even rice, Consumer Welfare and Trade Regulation Department chief Robert Barlis said in an interview Friday.
"There are no long queues that we can see in the supermarkets and groceries, even in the wet markets," he said.
The present rice shortage that the country is allegedly undergoing right now has started to take its toll on the prices of other basic commodities. Prices of meat and dairy products have increased. Speculations are abound that if the trend continues, people will start panic buying and hoard basic necessities.
