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White sugar  How to buy early and cheap at Carbon market

By Cris Evert Lato

Cebu Daily News

First Posted 08:31:00 07/13/2008

WHEN it comes to buying cheap, quality produce, timing is key.

This applies especially to buying food in Carbon market in CebuCity where discounts await the early bird shopper eager to stretchpesos.

Erwin Gok-ong, president of Cebu Market Vendors DevelopmentCooperative (Cemvedco), said market goers should take note of thetime of day and schedules to get lower prices in rice, vegetablesand other common household food items.

For vegetables, Gok-ong advised customers to visit the long stretchof Magallanes, Plaridel, M.C. Briones to F. Gonzales Streets inCebu City from 10 p.m to 2 a.m where different vegetable varietiesare sold.

At t 4 a.m. traders buy vegetables from farmers and add a few morepesos for every kilo of vegetables they sell to consumers..

Baguio beans, tomatoes and pechay from Baguio costs more at presentbecause of the limited number of cargo ships plying the Manila-Ceburoute.

But prices of other vegetables and spices like carrots, garlic,onion and squash have remained steady in the last two weeks.

Mothers who need sliced vegetables for dishes like menudo andchopsuey can go buy near Police Station 5 from 4 a.m. to 7a.m .Produce here costs 40 percent less than buying individualvegetables by kilo.

Cooking oil, rock salt and sugar can be bought in sari-sari storesinside the market at retail prices from 4a.m. to 8p.m.

Gok-ong recommends buying early in the morning or late in theevening as prices are lower.

Vegetable oil is now sold at P78 per kilo and palm oil at P72 perkilo. Refined or white sugar is P34 per kilo and brown sugar at P28per kilo.

For rice, Gok-ong said customers may buy in the nine Bigasan niGloria (BGP) sa Palengke outlets.

Since more government-subsidized rice stocks are available inpublic markets, he said commercial rice prices have also gone down.

Well-milled rice from Vietnam and Thailand are being distributed bythe National Food Authority (NFA) and sold at P35 and P25 per kilo.

Prices of well-milled commercial rice is between P38 to P45 perkilo while regular-milled commercial rice is between P33 to P35 perkilo.

NFA rice is no longer sold at P18.50 per kilo at Bigasan ni Gloriaoutlets since distribution was turned over to Tindahan Natinoutlets found in depressed areas in the province.

Belinda Polancos, Cemvedco Unit 1 collector, said fish can bebought fresh and cheap from 2 a.m. to 5a.m. Dont be fooled by themisconception that its unsafe to eat fish after the Princess ofthe Stars sinking, she said.

Those who know better should take advantage of low fish prices.

Meat vendor Jane Yba馿z said it is better for customers topatronize one store and have a suki so they can get discounts.

Car owners going to Carbon market can park vehicles on Esca駉Street during the day and on Plaridel, Manalili and Calderonstreets during the night.

Also, when coming to Carbon, dont wear fancy jewelry and rememberto bring just enough money to buy what you need, said Gok-ong.