Prices of round-shaped fruits jack up

Prices of round fruits have started to go up as the end of the year approaches, and they are likely to go up even more as New Year celebrations get closer.

Fruit sellers in Divisoria told the Daily Tribune that they had to raise their prices because their suppliers had done the same.

Pineapples, watermelons, grapes, kiat-kiat (clementine) and dragon fruits are some fruits that cost more now.

"The prices went up because the prices from our supplier went up, and we can't do anything about it," a female fruit vendor named Ina said in Filipino.

Ina said the price of their seedless grapes went up from P150 per kilogram to P200 per kilogram, and their dragon fruits went up from P100 per piece to P150 per piece.

She added that the prices for watermelons increased from P30 per piece to P50 per piece. Ina also mentioned that she would usually sell three persimmons for P100, but now the price is P50 a price.

Julie, another fruit vendor, agreed with Ina and said that their suppliers brought in less fruit outside of the holiday season.

She said that the price for their mangoes rose from P120 per kilo to P170 per kilo. The pineapples, she said, increased from P40 per kilo to P90 per piece.

Even though the prices of fruits have gone up, fruit vendors expect a lot of customers on 31 December which they call "rush hour" for people buying fruits for the New Year's celebration.

"Even though fruits are expensive, people are still buying them," said Imelda, another fruit vendor in Divisoria.

Imelda said she sold kiat-kiat (clementine) for P100 per kilogram last year. But she's now selling it for P160 per kilogram.

Imelda said that fruit prices would return to normal once the holidays are over, in the first week of January.