Prices of round fruits rise in South Cotabato as New Year draws near
KORONADAL CITY, Dec. 28 (PNA) -- Three days before 2016 ends, residents here have started the Filipino tradition of keeping round-shaped fruits, resulting in abruptly increasing prices of these agricultural produce, at least in this city.
Fruit sellers are almost everywhere now, from the market place to road sides and various places of convergence.
"It's the principle of demand and supply that dictate the prices," Crezel Parcon, a fruit vendor in Koronadal City’s public market, said.
Parcon said a kilo of yellow mango, used by many to make mango float which is a delicious traditional Filipino dessert, now sells at P120 per kilo, double its former price of P60 per kilo.
“Our acquisition price was so high that we only earn P10 per kilo of mango,†Parcon said, admitting she fears customers might shy away from buying the fruit this year.
An average-sized guava that normally costs P40 a kilo now costs P70 to P75 while an average-sized apple that used to sell at P30 a piece, now costs P45 to P50.
What was appalling was the price of “dragon fruit†that's imported from China. It now costs P300 per kilo from about P150 last week.
Prices may further go up as the last day of 2016 draws near. "On the 31st of December, prices will even go higher but we expect some vendors to drop the prices by about 5 p.m.," Parcon said even as she recalled that last year, she ended up break-even in her business.
Parcon also admitted that it was a gamble on her part to acquire fruits at higher prices this holiday season, knowing she might not be able to sell them all.
She and other fruit vendors here also sell 12 kinds of fruits beautifully arranged in a basket.
Parcon urged the public, especially those who will stick to the tradition of serving 12 kinds of round fruits on the table to welcome the New Year, to buy the ready-made basketful of fruits. "They no longer have to worry where to find what kinds of fruits to prepare," she added.
A ready-made fruit basket now costs about P600 to P700, depending on the kind of fruits it is made of.
Many Filipinos still practice the New Year's Eve tradition of coming up with 12 round fruits, representing each month of the year.
Many believe this to bring happiness, prosperity and good health to the family during the next 12 months.Copied from the Chinese, the tradition has come across various faith and religions and according to a “Feng Shui†expert, these "lucky" fruits will bring prosperity and good luck to the family.
Among the most popular round fruits are apple, lanzones, pomelo, melon, grapes and chico. (PNA)
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