Prices of seafood products, veggies up due to typhoon

CEBU, Philippines - Market vendors in Cebu have felt the brunt of typhoon Ruby (International name: Hagupit) as few consumers visiting public markets over the weekend have resulted to low sales.

Apart from the fact that only a few took the risk of going to the public market amid the threats of the weather, consumers also have to bear the rising prices of seafood products and vegetables which were caused by typhoon Ruby’s strong winds and rains.

Supply of fish is currently scarce as fishermen were warned not to go about their usual business on the rough seas.

Fish sellers at the Carbon Public Market in Cebu City told The FREEMAN yesterday that very few seafood products have reached and sold at the market as several fishermen and their families have also evacuated to safe places to the storm.

“Puwerteng gamaya ra gyod sa isda ug gamay ra pud kaayo ming namaligya ron,” lamented 55-year-old vendor Ofelia Badajos. “Unya gamay ra kaayong namalit, puwerteng mingawa gyod ron sa merkado.”

Badajos was only selling Barilis at P160 per kilo, much higher than its normal cost at P120 to P130.

Not much fish supplies are sold in the city’s Pasil Fish Market where most traders buy fresh catch seafood.

Evelyn Alo, 62, was only selling bangus at P160, which is higher by P20 from its preceding price of P140.

Traders said supply of fish started to decline last Thursday when fisherfolks opted not to sail because of the strong wind warning from authorities.

On the other hand, prices of vegetables have also increased recently by P10 to P20 due to typhoon Queenie which hit the Visayas only a few weeks ago.

Susan Dumalag, 41-year-old trader at the Carbon market, said prices of leafy vegetables pechay, cabbage, malunggay and alugbati rose by P10 because of the limited supply. Cost of other vegetables jumped by P20 per kilogram. 

The strong winds brought by the recent weather disturbances have affected their production.

Vegetable traders and even other market vendors also expressed sadness on the low market sales triggered by the low customer traffic in public markets.

In an earlier interview, Director Asteria Caberte of Department of Trade and Industry in Central Visayas said price freeze may be implemented in typhoon-hit areas in the region that would be placed under state of calamity.

According to Republic Act 7582 or the Price Act, automatic price control can only be enforced when an area is under a state of calamity, an emergency or other crisis events.

Zaide Bation, DTI-7’s consumer welfare chief, assured the agency would continue to monitor prices of basic goods in major markets.

President Benigno Aquino III recently ordered the trade agency to prevent price spikes of basic goods particularly in areas affected by typhoon Ruby. (FREEMAN)