MANILA (UPDATE)— The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Thursday denied the country is experiencing a salt supply shortage, noting that the recent price hikes for the commodity were granted because it was long overdue.

DTI Undersecretary Ruth Castelo said salt manufacturers last increased prices half a decade ago.

"Mayroon tayong inallow na magtaas ng presyo ng asin. Kaya lang kailangan mauintindihgan natin na itong mga manufacturers na ito sobrang tagal nang hindi nagtataas ng presyo, umabot na ng 4, 5, 6 years bago sila mag-request ulit," Castelo said in a televised briefing.

"Sa computation natin dapat talaga itaas ang presyo but in the issue of supply, we have sufficient supply," she added.

The DTI official noted that the country has at least 4 large salt manufacturers, with some imported ones also making rounds in markets.

"Hindi po tayo makukulangan ng supply," said Castelo.

"Ang pagtaas ng presyo ng mga ilan na locally-manufactured ay dahilan lang po ng kailangan nulang magtaas over the years, ngayon lang sila nagtataas at hindi dahil sa shortage natin ng asin."

Several salt brands have increased its prices, based on DTI's suggested retail price bulletin in January and May. Among them were the following:

COMPARISON: JANUARY AND MAY SRP BULLETIN

Iodized rock salt

• Lasap Rock Salt (250g) - from P6.25 to P7.00
• Fidel course (Red) - Luzon (250g) - from P7.40 to P10.00
• Fidel course (Red) - Visayas and Mindanao (250g) - from P8.45 to P11.25
• Lasap Rock Salt (500g) - from P11.25 to P12.50
• Fidel Coarse (Red) - Luzon (500g) - P14.50 to P19.50
• Fidel Coarse (Red) - Visayas and Mindanao (500g) - P15.70 to 21.75
• Lasap Rock Salt (1 kilogram) - P21.50 to P23.00

Iodized salt

• Lasap Iodized Salt (100g) - from P3.75 to P4.50
• Lasap Iodized Salt (250g) - from P7.50 to P9.00
• Fidel Free Flowing (Green) - Luzon (250g) - P11.10 to P11.75
• Fidel Free Flowing (Green) - Visayas and Mindanao (250g) - P11.75 to P12.75
• Fidel Refined (Blue) - Luzon (250g) - P7.95 to P10.75
• Fidel Refined (Blue) - Visayas and Mindanao (250g) - P8.75 to P11.75
• Lasap Iodized Salt (500g) - P13.25 to P16.00
• Fidel Free Flowing (Green) - Luzon (500g) - P19.60 to P22.75
• Fidel Free Flowing (Green) - Visayas and Mindanao (500g) - P21.00 to P23.25
• Fidel Refined (Blue) - Luzon (500g) - P15.65 to 21.00
• Fidel Refined (Blue) - Visayas and Mindanao (500g) - P17.35 to P21.25
• Lasap Iodized Salt (1kg) - P25.75 to P29.00

The Department of Agriculture had said that it would focus on the country's salt supply, just as it is responding to current sugar supply issues.

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Salt production is "small" in some regions, Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban earlier noted.

"Yung mag-aasin nasa Batangas, nasa Mindanao, maliliit eh... production efforts ay dapat i-accelerate para ma-meet 'yung standards ng ibang activity na dapat mangyari because we need to feed them as well," said Panganiban.

"'Yung problema sa asin, very imported ang asin," he added.

— With a report from Jervis Manahan, ABS-CBN News