Frost ravaging vast Benguet veggie farms

By Dexter A. See

ATOK, Benguet — The steady temperature drop in highly elevated areas in Baguio City and Benguet over the past eight days has produced frost that has started to ravage vegetables in vast tracts of agricultural farms in the province.

Reports of frost bites have already been submitted to municipal agricultural offices in this town and nearby Buguias, Kibungan, and Mankayan but actual damages have yet to be ascertained by concerned offices.

Last year, frost bites struck vegetable farms in Benguet, Mountain Province and Ifugao causing over P10 million worth of damages to vegetables and flowers.

Agriculture stakeholders predicted colder days, especially in highly elevated areas in Benguet, could take its toll in supply of vegetables first quarter of next year.

The temperature in highly elevated areas in Benguet is approximately three degrees lower than recorded temperature in Baguio, thus the continuous drop in temperature is dangerous to the local vegetable industry.

When frost which forms on top of the leaves of vegetables is exposed to direct sunlight and melts, it “burns” leaves which cause death of plants.

Experts from the Department of Agriculture in the Cordillera and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said night frost is a regular occurrence in highly elevated areas.