TACLOBAN CITY – Food prices in Eastern Visayas have stabilized despite the 3-ton weight limit on the San Juanico Bridge, thanks to the operation of a new roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) route between this city and Amandayehan in Basey, Samar.
Jenny Lyn Almeria, Department of Agriculture (DA) assistant regional director for research and regulations, on Friday said there was a price hike for farm products a few days after the imposition of the load limit on May 15, but trading has stabilized after the opening of the new route that allows trucks to deliver cargoes in various markets.
“If there are changes in the prices of some upland vegetables from Luzon, this is because of supply and not due to bridge restrictions,” she said during a meeting with Task Force San Juanico.
Among the upland vegetables sourced from Luzon are bell pepper, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, pechay Baguio (Napa cabbage), white potato, chayote, cauliflower, celery, and lettuce.
The prevailing price of broccoli per kilogram dropped to P300 as of June 26 from P380 on June 6, or a day before the opening of Amadayehan Port, DA price watch data showed.
Other vegetables also logged price decreases per kilogram during the period, such as cabbage (from PHP130 to PHP100), lettuce (from PHP350 to PHP300), and pechay Baguio (from P120 to P100).
There is no significant price movement for rice, fish, livestock, chicken, eggs, and spices.
The transfer of perishable products from a big truck to a smaller vehicle is costly and requires careful handling, which was practiced by traders during the last two weeks of May until early June, according to Almeria.
Amandayehan Port in Basey town opened for RoRo operations on June 7, offering relief to cargo trucks bound for Tacloban City and other parts of Leyte prohibited from crossing the San Juanico Bridge while it is being rehabilitated.
The Tacloban-Amandayehan route is a new shipping lane that complements existing ones, significantly reducing travel time to 15 to 20 minutes compared to the 13-hour Calbayog-Ormoc route.
DA PHOTO
