Fish, vegetable prices climb as Holy Week starts

Prices of fish and vegetables have started to increase at the start of Holy Week, but those of onions have significantly declined due to the oversupply amid the ongoing harvest of the commodity.

According to vendors at local markets, prices of fish have increased due to the reduced trips of fishermen.

Prices per kilogram have increased by as much as P60 at the Marikina Public Market—alumahan to P340 from P300, galunggong to P280 from P240, tulingan to P260 from P200, bangus to P220 from P200, and tilapia unchanged at P140.

The same trend was seen in the Litex Market in Quezon City, with galunggong up to P260 from P200, tulingan to P260 from P200, alumahan to P260 from P240, and matambaka to P240 from P200.

Vegetable prices per kilogram have also increased, which vendors attributed to the upcoming Holy Week: tomatoes to P100 from P60, ampalaya to P100 from P80, repolyo to P80 from P60, pechay baguio to P70 from P60, eggplant unchanged at P60, and sayote unchanged at P40.

Prices of onion, however, have significantly declined due to the oversupply. What used to range from P120 to P140 per kilogram has fallen to P60 per kilogram in local markets.

“Ang problema natin, up to May pa ‘yung ani eh. Ang presyo doon ranges from ano eh, P6 to P10 ang sibuyas. Ang problema is mababa masyado, so lugi na ‘yung mga magsasaka,” Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) chairman Rosendo So said in BErnadette Reyes' a report on GMA’s “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday.

[Our problem is the harvest will be until May. Prices range from P6 to P10 for an onion. The problem is it is too low, so our farmers are on a shortfall.]

SINAG also shared a video of children trying to peddle onions in exchange for food, given the price decline.

“Binebenta na lang sa kalsada para mabenta, kung puwedeng kapalit lang pagkain para may pagkain sila,” So said in the same report.

[They are selling in the streets and even accepting food so they have something to eat.] — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA News