FLOWER farmers in the region are also affected by the enhanced community quarantine amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
As part of the Department of Agriculture's (DA)-Cordillera Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC), which offers Survival and Recovery Assistance (SURE) Program, flower farmers can borrow up to P25,000 loan at a zero interest rate payable in three years according to DA-CAR assistant regional director Danny Daguio.
"The Secretary said isa sa mga unahin na bigyan ng pansin ay itong mga cutlfower producers. Hindi na sila nakabenta noong Panagbenga wala pang benta ngayon because of ECQ," Daguio said.
(The [DA] Secretary said one of the priorities to be given attention are cutflower producers. They weren't able to sell last Panagbenga, and also nowadays because of the ECQ.)
Ornamental and cutflowers are one of the top selling crops due to the favorable climatic conditions and because of the lucrative profit during All Souls' Day and All Saints' Day, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and the Baguio City's Flower festival which was canceled due to threats of Covid-19.
Lolita Bentres, Benguet Provincial Agriculturist, said since the ECQ, flower growers have no buyers as compared to the vegetables in the province.
Bentres added the cancelation of major activities in Baguio City and other events nationwide also affected the industry as they can no longer sell their produce.
La Trinidad Cutflower Ornamental Growers Association (LaTCOGA) President Andy Colte said that since the Luzon-wide lockdown imposed by the national government, there were no buyers and the flower stalls in the town were closed.
The agriculture department in the region said the municipal agriculturists of La Trinidad, Sablan, Tublay in Benguet submitted a list with around 3,000 farmers that will still undergo field validation to ensure the farmers actually suffered losses due to the ECQ.
After cross matching of the submitted list of farmers, DA-Cordillera will certify the list of cutflower farmers and endorses it to ACPC.
President Rodrigo Duterte extended the ECQ for entire Luzon until April 30 which was earlier set until April 12.