Good news is finally sprouting in the markets.
Prices of highland vegetables are starting to ease, bringing relief to both consumers and vendors, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Based on the DA’s latest price monitoring, broccoli now sells at around ₱180 per kilo, down from ₱200 just a week ago. Potatoes have also followed the same trend, dropping to ₱140 per kilo from the previous ₱160.
For many households, these small price cuts mean a lot — a little more room in the budget, a little less stress at the grocery stall.
DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said the drop is largely due to improving weather conditions in areas where highland vegetables are grown.
“Maraming bumaba kagaya nitong highland vegetables,” De Mesa explained.
“Yung patatas, broccoli, cauliflower. Tapos na kasi yung sobrang lamig. Ito na yung tamang lamig na kailangan ng mga highland vegetables para mag-produce nang marami.”
Simply put, the harsh cold that limited harvests is over. What farmers now have is the right kind of cool — the kind that allows crops to grow healthier and in bigger volumes.
And it’s not just highland vegetables feeling the relief.
Prices of lowland vegetables, including tomatoes and onions, are also beginning to dip. Tomatoes, which sold for around ₱145 per kilo last week, are now priced at about ₱120. Local red onions have slightly eased as well, dropping to ₱176.67 per kilo from ₱180.
De Mesa noted that tomatoes, while grown in lowland areas, are highly seasonal — and timing is everything.
“Yung kamatis, ang laki na rin ng binaba,” he said.
“From ₱160 to ₱180, ngayon ₱120 to ₱140 na. Ngayon ay dry season na. Kapag nagsimula na ang maraming harvest, bababa pa lalo ang presyo.”
In other words, as harvests increase in the coming weeks, prices could soften even more.
For now, shoppers can breathe a little easier. With better weather and improved supply, the simple joy of affordable vegetables is slowly returning — one kilo at a time.
