CONTRARY to some reports, the demand for vegetables and chicken has decreased in the local market during the holiday season.
According to Jenny Comendador, a vendor in Bankerohan Public Market, prices of vegetables lowered due to low demand, making it less profitable and increasing its likelihood of being wasted.
“The prices of vegetables have significantly decreased. Many of our unsold vegetables are just thrown away which has made it difficult for us to regain our capital,” Comendador said in vernacular on Wednesday, December 21.
She said vendors like her already anticipate during the holiday season that vegetables have low demand because consumers prefer to buy fruits and meat products.
Another vegetable vendor, Lalay Banjan, also felt the same sentiment.
“We expect that during the Christmas and New Year celebrations, the prices of vegetables will remain low,” she said.
Based on Agri Info Davao’s monitoring as of December 9, the suggested retail prices (SRP) of ampalaya is at P75 per kilogram(kg), sitao at P60/kg, native pechay (P80/kg), squash (P30/kg), eggplant (P60/kg), tomato (P55/kg), radish (P60/kg), cabbage (P95/kg), carrots (P90/kg), baguio beans (P80/kg), white potato (P110/kg), pechay baguio (P60/kg), and chayote (P25/kg).
For the spices, red onions have maintained a high price at P300/kg. White onion is priced at P330/kg, imported garlic (P100/kg), ginger (P95/kg), and siling labuyo (P300/kg).
Despite a series of Christmas parties and other related events, Acila Dagangon, a meat vendor, noted a low demand for poultry products.
“The price of chicken has increased. But there is low demand right now,” Dagangon said.
SRP for whole-dressed chicken is at P180.
Meanwhile, the demand for pork meat has spiked despite the increase in its price, according to Diday Tiongson, another meat vendor.
“Compared to last year during the height of the pandemic, many have bought pork meat due to the gradual return to normal when everyone is excited to celebrate Christmas,” Tiongson said.
She said that the price increase of pork is due to the limited production in local farms.
SRP for pork meat (liempo) is at P310/kg.
The Department of Agriculture previously said that prices of pork are expected to increase as the holiday season draws closer. (JDC)