Prices of fish up this week

Except for suno or pugapo (grouper) that now costs P280 per kilo from P300 last December 19, prices of almost other varieties of fish posted at as much as P200 per kilo as of yesterday.

The price of tangigue went up to P200 per kilo from P160 last week, blue marlin is now priced at P140 per kilo from P120, tuna is at P110 a kilo from P80, katambak at P160 from P130 and molmol is at P130 from P100 last week.

Kitong is now sold at P150 from P130 last week, danggit at P120 from P100, andohaw is priced at P110 from P90, bodboron at P90 a kilo from P65, and tulingan is sold at P90 per kilo from P65 last week.

Squid is priced at P150 per kilo from P130 last week, milkfish is at P90 per kilo from P65, bulinaw (anchovy) is now sold at P70 a kilo from P60, and toloy is now priced P50 per kilo from P20 a kilo last week.

Cebu City market administrator Elpidio dela Victoria said that the increase in fish prices is brought about by the low supply of fish caused by the north monsoon, which occurs every November until January.

He pointed out that during this period, people should expect a decline in the supply of fish because many fishermen won't go out to sea because of the strong winds.

Dela Victoria added that prices of chicken and pork have also increased but are still manageable because it is the volume of purchases on Christmas and New Year that determines the hike in prices. -Wenna A. Berondo