Benguet vegetable trading suspended due to protest over evictions

BAGUIO CITY — Vegetable trading at Benguet’s La Trinidad Trading Post was suspended on Monday morning (Feb 29) when farmers, traders, shipping truckers and porters joined a protest march over their Mar. 1 eviction deadline.

La Trinidad town mayor Edna Tabanda gave them a month to relocate to the government-run Benguet AgriPinoy Trading Center.

They marched to the Benguet Justice Hall at the Benguet Capitol where they filed a petition asking the regional trial court to stop their eviction, said Augusta Balanoy of the Benguet Farmers Marketing Cooperative. She said trading would resume later in the day.

Benguet farms supply the daily supply of carrots, potatoes, cabbages, cauliflower and other salad vegetables sold in Metro Manila markets.

As much as 1.2 tons of vegetables are purchased and shipped out of the old trading post each day.

The suspension meant a delay in deliveries, said Balanoy.  SFM