SUPER typhoon Yolanda, which devastated parts of the Visayas and Mindanao, was the reason fruit vendors are earning less this year.
“Yolanda is the reason why we have low sales after Christmas to New Year,” said Rachel Jaca, a fruit vendor at Cogon market.
She added that most of the consumers’ cash was probably donated to the survivors of Yolanda in the Visayas.
Jaca said the buyers in the city could have been more inclined donating their money to help those affected by Yolanda to recover from their dire situation. They rather opted not spend on capricious parties and dinners this New Year.
Josephine Cabilladas, a sidewalk vendor like Jaca, told Sun*Star Cagayan de Oro that it is because of climate change why their sales are down this holiday season.
“There were a lot of disasters and hardships the people experienced,” Cabilladas added citing the effects of climate change that brought bad weather.
Low sales
Cabilladas said their sales before are a lot different recently.
“Our sales are much lower compared with last year’s holiday season,” said Cabilladas.
Sometimes she would only earn P500 in a day.
Cabilladas said the total capital for all her fruits is around P50,000.
Although the price remained the same, she added that the buyers reduced the cash they used for purchasing unlike last year.
Edward Sabuero, another fruit vendor at the Cogon market, said his sales even before Christmastime significantly dropped.
“The sales is a lot different—before I would earn up to P3,000 but now I can barely reach P2,000 in a day,” said Sabuero.
Marlou Biwang, another fruit vendor, said the sales every day is not the same—sometimes it could reach around P5,000 and some days lesser.
Biwang sleeps in his stall and starts selling at dawn to ensure his stocks will be sold a few days after New Year.
But Biwang said he is still hopeful that the sales would increase this upcoming New Year.
He said the sales could still change.
However, compared to last year he admitted that his sales went down.
“The holiday season is not yet over. If you work hard, you will surely get profit,” said Biwang.
Prices
Biwang said the wholesale prices of the fruits that are saleable a few days before New Year did not change.
He added that the price of his Fuji apple is only P10, while his orange is just P5.
According to Sabuero, pineapple costs P25 per piece; grapes, P250 per kilo; watermelon, P25 a kilo; and Davao pomelo, P60 per kilo.
Sabuero said before the price of the watermelon per kilo is P30.
James Alcantara, while buying apples from a vendor, said he is not into the Filipino’s traditional beliefs of buying round fruits supposedly to bring good luck during the New Year.
He brought fruits because it is healthful for him. His boredom prompted him to buy apples.
Source: Sun Star