Ice crystals destroy Benguet plantations

By Dexter A. See

KIBUNGAN, Benguet — A huge volume of vegetables in their vegetative, flowering and harvestable stages grown in highly elevated areas of this province were affected by sudden downpour of ice crystals locally known as dalalo for over 40 minutes the past several days.

However, agriculture stakeholders said damage wrought by the crystals on vegetable farms will not take its toll on vegetables supply coming from the province since only those produced in highly-elevated areas were partially damaged.

Dalalo or hail usually occurs after a hot day with cumulus clouds over the sky, thus, the hot and cold weather often meet and create interaction that will result to the breaking of the ice crystals formed by the clouds and causing it to drop on the ground.

Several farmers whose crops were partially affected by hail described the ice crystals to be as big as marbles and that they reportedly break after falling on the ground.

Weathermen cited the occurrence of ice crystal rain is a normal occurrence, especially in highly-elevated places, but the same is not considered as harmful.

Consequently, the ice crystals could also hurt people once they are hit on the different parts of their bodies while they are doing their works on their vegetable farms during heavy downpour.

Vegetable traders claimed there is still a steady supply of assorted vegetables from the different towns of the province, thus, there is no need for consumers to worry about inadequate vegetables in the coming days since it is still harvest time for leafy vegetables such as cabbage among others.

Benguet had been the source of over 70 percent of the semi-temperate vegetables being circulated in the country over the past several decades.

Concerned local officials and agriculture stakeholders warned unscrupulous importers and smugglers not to take advantage of the reported occurrence of ice crystal rain in some parts of the province by allowing the entry of imported vegetables from China which directly compete with locally produced ones, thus, creating an oversupply and a sudden drop in the prices of vegetables since Benguet can still supply the country’s demand for highland vegetables.

Despite efforts of smugglers to try to kill the local vegetable industry by allowing the entry of imported and cheap vegetables that flood the local markets, the national and local governments are still firm on sustaining the vegetable industry in Benguet which serves as the main source of livelihood of over 360,000 individuals in the 13 towns.

Vegetables grown in the province include various kinds of cabbage, potatoes, cucumber, carrots, beans, sweet peas, Chinese peachy, bell pepper, and tomatoes, among others.