Vendors: Typhoon driving vegetable, fish prices up

CNN Philippines

Prices of fish and vegetable have gone up in wet markets. Vendors say the lack of supply caused by super typhoon Egay is to blame.  Currie Cator tells us more.  Visit our website for more #NewsYouCanTrust: https://www.cnnphilippines.com/  Follow our social media pages:  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CNNPhilippines • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cnnphilippines/ • Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines

Transcript

00:00 Edison had to go back home after running out of money to buy goods at the market.

00:06 He spent P1,500 on meat, vegetables and sugar.

00:10 "The amount of meat you used to buy was P1,500.

00:14 Now, it's just P1,500 or P1,000 so you can afford everything."

00:20 Prices of vegetables, including bell pepper, cabbage, carrots and potatoes, have increased

00:25 by up to P50 per kilogram in wet markets.

00:29 Vendors say most of these come from Baguio.

00:32 The agriculture department says it has yet to receive an update on Supertyphoon Eka's

00:37 damage to crops in the Cordillera region.

00:39 But vendor Dolores says her supplier is now running low on stocks.

00:44 "All the vegetables have increased.

00:47 Because of the typhoon, no more vegetables are coming."

00:51 "We haven't received any report.

00:53 The trips from Cordillera to here are continuous.

00:57 There's just a slight delay."

00:58 Fish prices have also gone up, including bangus, galunggong and tilapia.

01:03 Vendor George says they are having a hard time sourcing other kinds of fish.

01:07 "Of course, it's automatic.

01:09 Because the supplies are short, the price will increase automatically."

01:14 Higher fish and vegetable prices are common during rainy season because of logistic problems

01:20 and fishing bans.

01:22 But some consumers say they no longer expect cheaper commodities, regardless of the weather.

01:28 The DA says Eka's damage to agriculture now stands at P53.1 million for rice and corn

01:35 fields as well as livestock and poultry in the Cordillera region, Calabarzon, Mimaropa

01:41 and Caraga.

01:42 But the agency adds it is not yet that big to impact supply and prices in the market.

01:47 "It's still small compared to our overall total production level, especially for rice

01:53 and corn.

01:54 And hopefully, it's not that big."

01:56 "Despite this super typhoon, our supply for rice and meat and vegetables is enough."

02:07 The DA also says it has set aside a P1 billion quick response fund for the typhoon and El

02:12 Niño.

02:13 Kari Kator, CNN Philippines.

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