MARKET vendors said majority of their displayed fruits' and vegetables' prices have increased by P10 to P20 due to shortage of supply.
This, as some market vendors claimed that big cities like Manila and Cebu are reportedly offering higher prices for fruits and vegetable to their suppliers in the Davao City's neighboring area.
City Agriculturist Office (CAO) head Leo Brian Leuterio had warned earlier that prices of agricultural products will increase despite Davao City not being directly hit by El Niño.
Fruit vendor Virginia Moralla, 63, said her banana supply came from Kidapawan City. As her supplier increased its retail price, Moralla said she had no choice but to also increase her price such as the binangay variety for P45 per kilogram from P30 per kilogram and Latundan for P30 per kilogram from P25 per kilogram last week.
“Naa man gud daw mga taga-Manila, nag-offer sila og mas taas na presyo sa mga sagingan. Mahal ang kuha sa among supplier maong mahal na pud hinuon ang diria (My supplier said there were bulk buyers from Manila who offered higher price for banana supply. That is why they also increased the price of bananas sold to us),” Moralla said.
“Wa man niingon ang supplier na nagmahal ang presyo sa saging tungod sa init. Naa may mga nanganhi nga mahal og kuha, mao na (They did not say the increase was due to drought or dry spell. Other buyers were offered higher price for their bananas that's why the suppliers also give high price for us),” she added.
Vegetable vendor Neneng Pinto, who has been selling at Bankerohan public market for 39 years, said their supplier told them there is shortage of stocks so they have to sell it higher than the usual price.
“Tanan namong gulay parehas aning repolyo, alugbati, carrots, beans, kalabasa, nagpatong mi og dugang P10 to P20 sa presyo para naa pud mi ginansya (All our vegetables such as cabbage, Malabar spinach, carrots, beans, squash, we added P10 to P20 from its usual price so that we also can have profit),” Pinto said.
Garlic is now P120 per kilogram from P100 per kilogram while onion reached P120 per kilogram from P90 per kilogram from last week.
“Naga-reklamo lagi among mga suki ngano daw nagamahal na pero wa man mi mahimo ana (Some of our constant buyers are already complaining why the prices increase but we cannot do anything about it),” she said.
Another vegetable vendor who refused to be named said they have not increased the price of their vegetables like okra or lady’s finger and string beans which remain at P10 per bundle. But they reduce its quantity to still gain profit.
Majority of the commonly bought fruits have also increased their prices. Mango is now sold at P100 per kilogram from P80 per kilogram; green apple is now P30 each from P25 previously; grapes is P300 per kilogram from P250. There are, however, fruits in which prices have remain the same such as Fuji apple, Poncan carachhi for P10 each. Papaya remains at P30 per kilogram.