PRICES of vegetables in Benguet has drastically dropped since January this year as an oversupply of the agriculture products filled La Trinidad's two trading posts.
As prices dropped, farmers are going home with rotten vegetables, a dismal income or at worse bankrupt.
In a Facebook post, a farmers daughter using the account name Be Ruth posted a note asking the whereabouts of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol.
In her post, Be Ruth or Jovy Ruth Dionisio, said farmers need his help.
A portion of her post reads:
Now, Mr. Secretary, WHERE ARE YOU NOW? The farmers are now crying out loud. The prices of vegetable are now doubled insanely unjustifiable for farmers. Some farmers even went back home with their vegetables, rotten and untouched. Bankrupt but need to pay for the hauling of those vegetables and the wages of those who harvested it. They're getting bankrupt and you're nowhere to be found! The farmers will fend for themselves and NO HELP extended to get back on track."
Sudden decline
Augusta Balanoy, Benguet Farmers Marketing Cooperative general manager said the oversupply contributed to the sudden decline of prices which was experienced in the first week of January.
"Many farmers were dismayed as the prices of vegetables dropped from January 1 to 7," she said.
The prices of vegetables in the first week of January were as follows:
* Wombok at P1 to P7
* Cabbage rareball (First class) at P8 to 18
* Cabbage rareball (Second and third class) at P1 to P8
* Potatoes P15 to P50
* Carrots at P1 to P35 per kilogram
On January 9, there was a minimal adjustment but still relatively cheaper. Prices of wombok range from P7 to P12, potatoes at P20 to P28, carrots at P12 to P25 and rareball cabbage at P15 to P20.
In the nearby trading area at Benguet Agri Pinoy Trading Center (BAPTC), prices for cabbage rareball range from P8 to P15 for first class, P2 to P3 for second class, wombok at P6 to P10, potato (extra – large) at P18 to P25, carrots at P3 to P18, and cauliflower P10 to P15.
As of January 9, a slight increase was noted compared to last week.
In an earlier report, Violeta Salda Baptc Chief of operations stated the spillover of vegetables was due to the late planting of farmers after the typhoons destroyed their seedlings.
For the upcoming days, the supply and prices of vegetables remain to be seen, Balanoy and Salda both added.
Meanwhile, Dionisio's post has already generated 1,200 shares, 987 reactions and 81 comments as of 8:57 p.m. Wednesday, January 9.
