Why prices of fruits skyrocket in Koronadal, Cotabato, Kidapawan?

KORONADAL CITY - Fruit stalls
started to sprout like mushrooms in this city as people bustled to have an early Christmas shopping. It has been a tradition of
every Filipino family to buy fruits in preparation for Noche Buena. Three days before Christmas,
prices of fruits in Koronadal City
started to increase. Cresel Parcon, a fruit vendor
at the city public market, said increase in
prices was evident on imported fruits. Price of apple which is
always present in every Filipino home during the revelry increased from P5 to
P10 a piece. An imported Fuji apple is
now being sold at P25 pesos, which is
P10 higher compared to the previous
weeks,” Parcon told DXOM FM Koronadal Wednesday. Even the local produce
mango priced at P50 pesos in the previous weeks is now sold at P70 per
kilo. Moreover, vendors and even the consumers noted that
because of its growing demand, prices of fruits are expected to further increase by next week. Fruit vendors observed, they
have slack sale this year, compared to
the previous years. Harvest season is yet to
come in Koronadal city, maybe people don’t have enough money to spend now, that
is why we have a slow business this year,” Parcon said in Filipino. In the spirit of Christmas,
the local government unit of Koronadal allowed transient vendors more known as
Laray vendors” to display their goods at the side walks in the public market.In Cotabato City, prices of fruits also increased. A check with the fruit vendors showed a Red Apple which used to cost P10 to P12 a piece now costs P25.A lady vendor Aling Bernadette said the prices may go up further as the New Year nears when Filipino tradition pushes revelers to prepare for 13 pieces of round-shape fruits. Simple reason, its about the law of supply and demand, she said.Edward Cabilgas, a 60-year-old man who has been practicing the 13 round-shape fruits on table in welcoming the New Year, volunteered some tips in buying fruits. Wake up early in the morning, go to supermarket and buy fruits where prices are reasonable and not hours before the years separate, he suggested.In Kidapawan City, known as North Cotabato's fruit capital due to abundance of tropical fruits, prices also increased since Wednesday.Mangoes (Manga Manila) used to sell at sidewalk for P50 a kilo but now its P90 to P100.Like Aling Bernadette, Kagi Usman Kudindang, a Maguindanaon fruit vendor, said in Filipinoand 'It was weather-weather sir. Kudindang meant prices of fruits depend on season, like Christmas and New Year.