The delays in vegetable deliveries and the damage to the crops have caused the skyrocketing of vegetable prices in the metro.

In Malabon City Central Market, the price of siling labuyo ranged on Saturday from P500 to P600 per kilogram.

Vendor Epifania Tatad said that the current price of siling labuyo has already decreased, as it was around P700 per kilogram weeks ago.

As an alternative, some vendors are selling red chilies in small amounts, packaged in small plastic pieces.

Despite the rise in vegetable prices, they said that their customers don’t mind the increase and continue to buy them.

Aside from red chili, the price of tomatoes has also increased from P110 per kilogram last week to P190.

Epifania said that the rise in vegetable prices is expected due to consecutive storms and the fast approach of the holiday season. However, she noted that they are seeing a possible decrease in the coming weeks.

“That’s normal, especially during this season, but once the storms pass, these prices will lessen eventually,” the vendor said in Filipino.

The vendors said they don’t have a choice but to increase the prices of their vegetables because that is the price their suppliers are giving them.

“We just add at least P20 to P25 to the supplier’s price so that we can still bring home some income.”

Most of the vendors in Malabon Central Market are getting their supplies from Divisoria in Manila.