Habagat affects veggie trading in Benguet
DUE to the continuous rain, harvesting schedule at Benguet province has been hampered.
The heavy downpour brought by Habagat starting last week has affected the volume of vegetables arriving at the vegetable trading post in La Trinidad.
Benguet Farmers Marketing Cooperative
Manager Augusta Balanoy mentioned the open and close road situation at Halsema Highway also affected not only the arrival of the highland vegetables at the trading area but also the prices of vegetables.
“In the past days, we have seen sharp increase of prices of veggies. As to the demand of veggies, supply is just enough to meet such since flooded ang Manila, demand has also lowered. All buyers have controlled their purchases as to volume,” she added.
The range of price increase before rainy days ranges from P5 to P20 per kilo.
On Tuesday, prices of vegetables such as rareball cabbage ranges P37-P42 per kilo, potatoes at P35P40/kilo, wombok at P40-P50/kilo, and carrots at P70-P90/kilo.
Meanwhile, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council chair Benguet Governor Crescencio Pacalso extends the suspension of classes on August 14 in all levels from preschool to college including tech-voc, both in public and private schools.
The governor said the suspension is to ensure safety of students due to continuing inclement weather.
Based on the monitoring of forecast from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA), there will be more rains that may prevail for the whole week.
Office of the Civil Defense-Cordillera director Ruben Carandang said as of August 12, they have monitored four eroded riprap and collapsed wall, six landslides, three flooding incidents. These were from the provinces of Abra, Benguet and Baguio City.
At least three partially damaged houses were recorded, two in Baguio City and one in Bakun, Benguet.