WITH the durian prices remaining high during the Kadayawan season, some vendors are struggling to gain income.
Based on the monitoring of SunStar Davao at the Magsaysay Fruit Stand and Bankerohan Public Market on Monday, August 15, the average price is at P90 per kilogram (kg) and can be as high as P120/kg for premium varieties like the puyat. Other varieties, like muntong, are priced from P70/kg to P80/kg.
Majority of the vendors interviewed cited the high price was due to poor harvest and bulk buying from Chinese industrial plants that bulk-buy most of the durian harvest, further limiting the local supply.
Jocelyn Renoso, a durian vendor at Magsaysay, said their income has been quite steady for the past week. However, he said this is very low compared to the year 2019, the year when the Kadayawann was expanded into month-long celebration.
During the usual harvest season, prices of durian can go as low as P40/kg to P50/kg at Bankerohan Public Market and around P80/kg for premium variety at Magsaysay Fruit Stand.
"Mas nihit karon. Medyo mingaw kaayo kon itandi sa mga milabayng tuig (There are few customers this year, compared to the previous years)," he said.
Sally Sampang, another vendor, blamed the high price of durian for the low customer.
"Kinsa bay ganahan mukaon og durian nga mukabat og P150 per kilo? Imbes ikaon nimo'g durian, pwede na kana nimo ipangpalit og duha ka kilo nga bugas (Who would want to buy durian at a price of P150 per kilo? Instead of buying, why not spend it buying two kilos of rice)," Sampang said.
He also said the recent oil price hike contributing to the rise of prices of basic goods and commodities had also been a factor as to why some of their customers would be hesitant to buy.
On Monday, the 37th Kadayawan sa Davao formally kicked off, marking the first face-to-face celebration of the annual event after two years it was suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Both Renoso and Sampang are optimistic that they could cope with their losses with the influx of tourists this Kadayawan.
However, they expect that their income won't be the same as compared the previous years.
The City Agriculturist’s Office (Cagro) noted that the production of durian in Davao City this year has been lower compared to previous years because of the unstable weather conditions.
An unusually low yield of only 3,000 metric tons of durian was harvested for the first half of the year, according to Cagro head Edgardo Haspe during the I-Speak media forum at Davao City Hall on July 28, 2022.
He explained that the months of March to May are the supposed dry season but this year, persistent rains occurred which hampered most durian trees to bloom and bear fruit.
The annual production of durian in Davao City in time for the Kadayawan season usually reaches 12,000 metric tons. Last year, 12,930 metric tons of durian were produced, at least 17,000 metric tons in 2020, and around 15,000 metric tons in 2019.
To cover the supply deficit needed for the anticipated 50,000 tourists for Kadayawan, Haspe said the city is in talks with durian growers from other regions and provinces to import durian into Davao City. RGL