Baguio has enough flowers for ‘Undas’–DA

ARRAY OF CHOICES With All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day just days away and flower offerings again in demand, the city government of Baguio decided to bring to one place all its flower vendors. These blooms—carnations, anthuriums, African daisies and chrysanthemums—are on display on Sunday at Malcolm Square. —NEIL CLARK ONGCHANGCO

BAGUIO CITY—Cut flower growers in Benguet province have started displaying a wide array of blooms along Malcolm Square in Session Road of this city on Sunday, amid assurance from the Department of Agriculture (DA) that there are sufficient supplies for this Wednesday’s All Saints’ Day demand here and in Metro Manila.

According to Jennylyn Dawayan, DA Cordillera director, they expected the prices to remain stable, as “we do not see an oversupply in the week running up to Nov. 1.”

Benguet is one of the country’s major sources of roses, anthuriums and gladiolas because of its relatively cool climate and high elevation. Each year, the province generates between 25 and 30 million metric tons of fresh blossoms, which are meant for the “Undas” in November, the yuletide season from December to January, and Valentine’s Day and the Baguio Flower Festival in February, according to the office of the Benguet provincial agriculturist.

Last year, DA records showed that 2.1 million dozens of cut flowers were grown at Benguet gardens in a span of nine months.

Cut flower production used to fluctuate because some Benguet farmers anticipated demand to rise from hotels during Christmas, until they encountered competition from imported ornamental flowers.

Benguet’s flower industry took the biggest hit in the agriculture sector when the coronavirus pandemic triggered a shutdown of all businesses, including their traditional customers.

READ: Baguio back in bloom

READ: Supply of Benguet flowers enough for Valentine’s, fest

Flower bazaar

Retail prices normally rise during the holiday, but DA has not recorded any unusual spikes this time, Dawayan added.

At a special Baguio flower bazaar put up at Malcolm Square in downtown Session Road, people scheduled to leave for their respective hometowns picked through varieties of roses, anthuriums, gerbera (African daisies), chrysanthemums and carnations.

A dozen short-stemmed white roses sold for P150, while their red counterparts were priced at P200. Varieties of purple and yellow Malaysian mums arranged in small baskets fetched a P100 price tag, while pots of gerbera and purple carnations were sold for as high as P350. Tourists bought small bundles of chrysanthemums for as low as P60.

The bazaar was filled with churchgoers and families promenading Session Road, which becomes a pedestrian zone on Sundays.

Flower traders said they expected sales to be brisk by Monday and Tuesday because of the succession of long weekends.

—VINCENT CABREZA INQ