Most vegetable prices at Bankerohan Public Market fell this week as a steady supply from farms and suppliers reached the market, giving shoppers a break on household staples, vendors said.
Vegetables such as eggplant, string beans (batong), cabbage, and squash are selling for less than they did last week.
Vegetable vendor Johanna Caballero said string beans dropped to ₱50 to ₱60 per kilogram from about ₱100 last week, while eggplants fell to ₱40 per kilogram from ₱60. She said even fresh, high-quality produce is now selling at lower prices.
“Ang batong last week mga ₱100 ang kilo, karon ₱50 hangtod ₱60 na lang. Ang talong gikan sa ₱60, nahimo na lang ug ₱40. Bisan nindot ug himsog ang quality, ubos gihapon presyo (Last week, string beans were about ₱100 per kilo. Now they're only ₱50-₱60. Eggplants dropped from ₱60 to ₱40. Even vegetables that are fresh and in excellent condition are still selling at lower prices)," Caballero said.
Not all produce became cheaper. Vendors said broccoli remained expensive, while tomatoes and bitter gourd (ampalaya) posted price increases.
Squash prices, however, are expected to fall further from ₱35 to around ₱20 per kilogram, depending on supplier costs. Cucumbers are also in abundant supply, selling for ₱20 per kilogram for good-quality produce and ₱15 for lower-grade stock.
Vendors attributed the lower prices to an increase in deliveries from suppliers and nearby farms. With more vegetables arriving at the market, sellers reduce prices to move inventory more quickly and avoid spoilage.
While vegetables became more affordable, some other food items saw price increases.
Vendors said matambaka and barilis fish rose by about ₱50 per kilogram, depending on quality. A tray of medium-sized eggs also increased to ₱165 from ₱144. Prices of XL and jumbo eggs remained unchanged.
Chicken prices stayed relatively stable at ₱160 to ₱165 per kilogram, although rates vary slightly among stalls depending on suppliers.
Pork vendor Roxan Quilo said they have kept pork prices steady despite fluctuations in other commodities because they also consider what customers can afford.
“Dili mi kapatakag pataas sa presyo. Ang baboy naa ra gihapon sa ₱220 hangtod ₱240 kada kilo. Mao ra gihapon ang presyo sukad niaging semana (We can't simply raise prices whenever we want. Pork is still ₱220 to ₱240 per kilo. The price has remained the same since last week)," Quilo said.
Despite lower vegetable prices, some vendors said customer traffic has remained slow on certain days.
They said prices will continue to fluctuate depending on supply, demand, and supplier costs, with abundant harvests helping keep most vegetable prices low while selected commodities continue to rise. John Adam Aladad/Spamast, SunStar Intern
