Benguet veggie prices stable despite ‘Labuyo’

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet—Typhoon “Labuyo” spared vegetable farms in the Cordillera as it crossed the region early this week, making prices of upland vegetables stable at the trading post here, an official in this Benguet capital said.

Dwight Daodao, La Trinidad administrative officer for economic enterprise and manager of Vegetable Trading Post here, said even amid the typhoon, vegetable trucks continued delivering fresh vegetables here. On Monday, as Labuyo pounded the Cordillera, 192 delivery trucks and jeepneys unloaded vegetables at the trading post. On Tuesday, more than 200 delivery vehicles arrived here.

Daodao described the slight price movements at the trading post as normal.

At the vegetable trading post here, broccoli is sold for P20 to P25 a kilogram; Chinese cabbage, P8 to P10; cucumber, P14 to P16; bell pepper, P45 to P50; potatoes (depending on size), P19 to P28.

Prices of other vegetables like beans, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, lettuce, celery, parsley, radish and onion leeks increased by P4 to P10 a kg.

Gov. Nestor Fongwan assured consumers that there is more than enough supply of vegetables to meet the demand.

The provincial agriculture office, he said, has yet to consolidate damage reports in the province’s vegetable farms.

He said sections of the Halsema Highway blocked by rock and mud slides had been cleared, allowing farmers to transport their produce. Kimberlie Quitasol, Inquirer Northern Luzon