Price plunge forces Benguet farmers to give away carrots

MANILA, Philippines — Farmers in Benguet were forced to distribute for free carrots whose farmgate price dropped to P1 per kilo, as local dealers blamed the flooding of smuggled vegetables for the slump in the cost of local highland vegetables.

In a radio interview, La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post vegetable dealer Lorna Menzi said carrots were given away for free in Benguet, particularly in Baguio City.

“The medium and small sized (carrots) were released and given for free in different barangays,” Menzi said.

“Since the flooding of smuggled carrots, this has been the scenario as consumers prefer big carrots,” she added.

On social media, photos and videos showed residents and tourists picking up carrots after kilos of vegetables were left at Burnham Park in Baguio City.

“We are not sure if these are fresh, as the carrots were placed in the container vans for a long time,” Menzi said, warning the public of the dangers posed by consuming smuggled carrots.

The proliferation of smuggled big carrots, she noted, has persisted in the last two years.

The dumping of highland vegetables could continue as peak harvest season starts this month, she added.

Despite the dumping of carrots, the retail price in Metro Manila markets remains high. Based on monitoring of the Department of Agriculture, the cost of the vegetable ranged between P80 and P160 per kilo.