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Thursday, January 20, 2005
Farmers incur P20M in crop damages from frost
By Jane Cadalig
BAGUIO CITY -- Farmers in the municipality of Atok in Benguet incurred some P20 million worth of crop damages in the last three months due to frost.
The frost is affecting an area of 209 hectares of farmlands in two barangays of the town.
Mayor Concepcion Balao said he would request assistance from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Provincial Government of Benguet.
"I am submitting our report to the DA and the province for any possible assistance that could be given to the farmers in Atok (considering) that farming is the means of livelihood by majority of our constituents," Balao said Wednesday, adding that almost 80 percent of the farmers are adversely affected.
Balao reported that as of January 11 this year, frost damages already reached P20,123,584. She added, "there is still a tendency this would increase".
She also expressed apprehension the situation might be used by vegetable importers as well as smugglers to justify their claim of increasing the volume of crops being imported.
"We fear that they (importers) will use this as their reason for importation if they see a (decline) in the supply," said said, adding a copy of the report will be submitted to the DA national office.
The mayor said frost, which is usually experienced by the town from November to March, is not new to them, but said, "the damage it brought this year was the worst that we have encountered, although this also happened 10 years ago but it was not like this."
She reported that most of the damaged crops include potatoes in their vegetative tuber form, valued at P17,248,000. These were cultivated in Barangays Paoay and Cattubo.
Other vegetables such as carrots, radish, garden pea, and even cut flowers were also damaged.
Balao also said although frost is a problem that could not be remedied, it should still be given attention. "In fact, our problem is not the farm-to-market roads but to how to remedy this (frost)."
The mayor also explained that as of now, the Municipal Government could not yet extend financial assistance to the affected farmers since their budget for 2005 has yet to be approved. "We can't spend without an approved budget."
She, however, assured that an amount will be appropriated once the fund is approved.
(January 20, 2005 issue)
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