Veggies rot as delivery is halted

RAIN OR SHINE Farmers in Benguet province work on their cabbage gardens even during heavy rains. The province’s vegetable farms supply markets in Metro Manila with carrots, potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and other salad vegetables. RICHARD BALONGLONG / Inquirer Northern Luzon

BAGUIO CITY—About 400,000 kilograms of carrots, cabbage and other salad vegetables had to be destroyed when shipments meant for Metro Manila markets were blocked last week due to a clearing operation in Divisoria, the main wholesale market for vegetables in Manila, a Benguet farmers’ group said here on Friday.

The vegetables represented 60 percent of the day’s deliveries which were left unsold because truckers were barred from crossing Claro M. Recto Avenue, the road leading to Divisoria, said Augusta Balanoy, head of the Benguet Farmers’ Marketing Cooperative.

Farmers and traders lost as much as P9 million, she said.

Clearing operation

Balanoy said the Manila City government had not informed truckers about the scheduled clearing operation.

“We learned about it when vegetable buyers texted their suppliers that Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada had informed them that they would no longer be allowed to buy vegetables at Recto,” she said.

“Some of our buyers have reduced their orders because of the City Hall directive,” said Gil Ganado, head of the Benguet Truckers’ and Drivers’ Association.

But the trucks were already in Manila by the time the information reached them.

Ganado urged the Manila city government to designate a new area for unloading and selling of vegetables.

Benguet farms supply most of the salad vegetable needs of Metro Manila, among them beans, broccoli and cauliflower. Kimberlie Quitasol, Inquirer Northern Luzon