CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Consumers shopping in Cagayan de Oro's major public markets this week will need to spend more on seafood and some cooking essentials, although lower vegetable prices are helping offset grocery costs.A joint price check conducted across Cogon, Carmen, and Puerto public markets on Aug. 4 gives consumers a clearer picture of what to expect at the stalls.
Seafood Prices Jump Up
Fresh seafood saw some of the biggest price hikes. At Puerto Public Market, local galunggong (round scad) jumped to ₱240 per kilogram—a steep rise from ₱170 last week. Local squid (pusit bisaya) also went up, hitting ₱240/kg in Carmen and ₱220/kg in Cogon.
Kitchen staples also got pricier for consumers. Imported garlic rose to ₱130/kg in Puerto and ₱140/kg in Cogon. Ginger went up citywide, selling for ₱140/kg in Carmen, ₱120/kg in Cogon, and ₱95/kg in Puerto. White onions reached ₱180/kg in Carmen.
Fresh Produce Costs Drop
On a brighter note for household consumers, several basic vegetables are becoming more affordable. Tomatoes dropped to ₱100/kg in Cogon (down from ₱130) and ₱120/kg in Carmen. White potatoes also fell to ₱90/kg in Cogon and ₱120/kg in Carmen.
Meat prices held mostly steady. Pork liempo eased to ₱330/kg in Puerto and Carmen, though Cogon saw a small uptick to ₱350/kg. Whole chicken remained stable, with dressed chicken selling for ₱160 per piece in Puerto and local whole chicken at ₱200 in Carmen.
Rice Supplies Stay Steady
Rice prices showed little change across trading hubs, giving consumers consistent options at the counter. Imported special white rice held steady between ₱52/kg in Cogon, ₱54/kg in Puerto, and ₱55.50/kg in Carmen. Local well-milled rice stayed in the same range of ₱52 to ₱55.50/kg citywide.
City agriculture monitors noted that daily stall prices can shift depending on weather and supply, but regular checks will continue to help protect consumers from overcharging. (Dave Achondo, Editorial Assistant)
