Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 28) — Prices of vegetables and fish have gone up amid the onslaught of Typhoon Egay in the northern provinces of Luzon.
At the Kamuning Market, vegetables including bell pepper, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, and potatoes have all increased by up to ₱50 per kilogram.
Vendors said most of these crops come from Baguio, a province severely affected by the super typhoon.
The Department of Agriculture (DA), however, said it has yet to receive an update on Egay’s damage to crops in the Cordillera region.
“Wala kaming nari-receive na report…Tuloy-tuloy naman yung biyahe mula sa Cordillera papunta [Metro Manila]. May konti lang delays siguro,” Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa told CNN Philippines.
[Translation: We did not receive any report…the travel from Cordillera to Metro Manila is continuous. There might be a few delays.]
Meanwhile, costs for fish varieties such as bangus, galunggong, and tilapia have also gone up due to difficulty in sourcing other kinds of fish.
While price hikes for fish are common during the rainy season due to fishing bans, some consumers say they no longer expect cheaper commodities regardless of the weather.
The DA said Egay’s damage to agriculture is at ₱53.1 million for rice and corn fields, livestock and poultry in the Cordillera region, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, and Caraga.
The agency, however, said the impact is not significant enough to affect the supply and prices in the market.
“Maliit pa kumpara sa overall production level natin, especially for rice and corn. Hopefully, hindi na ganu’n kalaki,” De Mesa said.
[Translation: This is small compared to our overall production level, especially for rice and corn. Hopefully, this is not that big.]
The DA said it set aside a ₱1-billion quick response fund for the typhoon and el Niño
CNN Philippines correspondent Currie Cator contributed to this report.
