Poultry, beef, fish, vegetable prices up as holiday season approaches

Poultry, beef, fish and vegetable prices are beginning to climb in local markets as the holiday season approaches, GMA News' Maki Pulido reported on 24 Oras on Monday.

In Tandang Sora Market in Quezon City, prices of some vegetables rose from P10 to P40. Onion prices, for example, increased from P60 to P100 per kilo, eggplants from P35 to P65, winged beans from P30 to P60, and cabbage from P35 to P50.

On chicken, prices of choice cuts rose by P10 or from P150 to P160, while prices of chicken breast and innards increased by P5 or from P145 to P150.

Beef cuts meanwhile jumped from P280 to P330; ribs from P260 to P280, t-bone cuts from P280 to P290.

Seafood prices were affected the most: shrimp prices rose from P360 to P480; sapsap from P280 to P320; maya-maya from P380 to P480; and bangus from P140 to P150.

Bureau of Plant Industry Assistant Director Simeon Amurao said the increase in prices may be linked to the proximity of the holiday season.

"Pag mataas ang demand, they can increase the price. 'Di natin mapipigilan," he said.

The recent lifting of a memorandum banning the importation of beef from Brazil may bring down beef prices soon as 20 percent of all beef in the Philippine market is imported from Brazil.

"The Secretary of Agriculture, I think, already signed a memorandum lifting the ban of importation from Brazil. Bumaba man 'yan, not this Christmas season," Amurao said.

Rising prices for fish can also be attributed to the weather on transport routes.

"Sa monitoring, nasa tamang level naman siya kasi iko-consider mo 'yung transport cost. Malakas yung Hanging Amihan, so hindi rin nakakalabas karamihan ng ating mangingisda," Bureau of Fishery and Aquatic Resources Assistant Director Sammy Mavals said. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News