2 MIN READ

By KIMBERLIE QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — The Department of Agriculture (DA) Cordillera assures the public that the reported frost occurrences in Benguet and Mountain Province will not affect the supply of temperate vegetables.

“While minimal damages are recorded in the ongoing monitoring of the LGUs, these are not evident and do not affect the supply of vegetables in the trading centers, hence, the vegetable supply remains stable,” the DA stated.

Despite the reported minimal damages, the High Value Crops and Development Program (HVCDP) of DA Cordillera is closely monitoring the frost situation with the partner local government units.

According to the DA, they received reports of frost, or andap, as the locals call it, in Balicanao, Sadsadan, Mt. Data, Pactil, and Monamon Sur in Bauko, Mt. Province, apart from those reported in Benguet.

Farmers from the said areas have also posted photographs of frost-covered crops on their social media accounts.

The agency further said that frost is a yearly phenomenon in several communities in higher elevations of Benguet and Mountain Province at this time of the year when the temperature in the said areas drops to a single digit.

“The historical data of DA-CAR shows that frost presence in the region is particularly experienced in the higher parts of Atok, Buguias, Kibungan, and Mankayan municipalities in Benguet and Bauko in Mountain Province usually during the months of December, January, and February,” the DA further stated.

Being an annual phenomenon, farmers have learned to adapt to it.

Pj Haight, a farmer from Paoay, Atok, Benguet, posted photos of the frost that formed on his flower garden early morning of January 26. He said this was the fifth frost occurrence this January.

Haight said the frost usually forms in a specific area of their farming village. “It is just a small area, around 3,000 square meters,” he said.

According to him, they plant carrots and radishes in the “frost area” because they can survive the extreme cold. He added that they would water the crops to thaw the frost to ensure their survival. Despite these precautions, the frost still damaged some of his crops.

“It is a small patch, less than a hectare,” he said.

Frederick Liw-an, from Sitio Nalicob, Barangay Madaymen, in Kibungan town, also posted photos of frost in their village yesterday, January 26. He said this was the first he knew of this year. He added that frost usually occurs in their village in January.

The cold temperature in their village earned it the moniker Little Alaska.

According to Liw-an, the frost did not destroy any crops in their area because they were still preparing the land for planting. # nordis.net