The prices of vegetables and pork products have increased anew.
Based on the price monitoring of the Department of Agriculture (DA), the cost of Ampalaya (Bitter Melon) has increased between ₱150 to ₱220 per kilo, eggplant is priced at ₱180 to ₱220, and squash at ₱100 to ₱120. The price of cabbage also rose between ₱150 to ₱250, carrots at ₱150 to ₱200, potatoes at ₱120 to 150, pechay at ₱150 to ₱200, and tomatoes at ₱150 to ₱170.
Pork ham (kasim) is now priced at ₱330 to ₱380 and pork belly (liempo) at ₱380 to ₱420.
The DA admitted there was a decline in pork supply due to the African Swine Fever that is why more 12,000 hogs were transported to Luzon before the end of 2020 from Visayas and Mindanao.
The increase in vegetable prices has been attributed to lesser number of trucks to transport the products where only two trucks are utilized by each region for free.
“Production is sufficient but it is not getting to the market… Not every farmer can afford to pay 15,000 per trip ng isang (of one) truck,” DA ASec. Kristine Evangelista explained.
The DA is now coordinating with local government units to provide trucks, cold storage, and processing facility to farmers under the Enhanced Kadiwa Program. – Report from Cleizl Pardilla
