The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday said the price of vegetables in the market keeping consumers awake at night is a reflection of the string of bad weather in recent weeks.
But DA spokesperson Arnel de Mesa told reporters that the price uptick should only last a maximum of one or two weeks as alternative sources, especially in Mindanao, may be tapped in the meantime.
“With storms, normally 10 to 15 percent price increases in vegetables may be experienced depending on the areas affected,” de Mesa noted.
According to him, the deployment of Kadiwa rolling stores in areas affected by the recent weather disturbances is expected to help ease the surge in the price of vegetables.
Based on DA monitoring of public markets in the National Capital Region, the price range per kilogram (kg) of lowland vegetables as of last Thursday average from P80 to P180 for ampalaya; P75 to P200 for string beans; P70 to P150 for pechay tagalog; P30 to P60 for squash; P110 to P130 for eggplant; and P130 to P210 for tomato.
Meanwhile, the price range per kilo of highland vegetables for the similar period average P100 to P160 for scorpio cabbage; P80 to P160 for rare ball cabbage; P120 for wonder ball cabbage; P120 to P200 for carrot; P110 to P190 for Baguio beans; P75 to P110 for white potatoes; P90 to P170 for pechay Baguio; P45 to P85 for sayote; P220 to P370 for green bell pepper; and P210 to P370 for red bell pepper.
Initial estimates of damage to the agriculture sector due the tropical storm Kristine as of 12 noon of November 2 total P5.75 billion equivalent to 557,851 metric tons (MT) of goods tended by 131,661 farmers and fishers in 109,871 hectares (ha) of affected areas.
The bulk of Kristine’s reported damage is on rice totaling P4.25 billion, equivalent to 516,438 MT.
High value crop damage was estimated at P847.48 million.
