No huge frost damage seen

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet, Philippines – The extent of crop damage caused by frost in vegetable-producing towns in the province has yet to be determined but is not likely to be huge, the provincial agriculture office said. 

“Frost was reported but still no huge damage (was felt),” government chief agriculturist Lolita Bentrez said.  

In the past, frost has destroyed produce worth millions of pesos in northern Benguet, especially in Atok town. Frost wilts the leaves of crops and stunts growth.

The temperature in Baguio City yesterday morning further dropped to 9.6 degrees Celsius from 9.8 degrees Tuesday and 10 degrees Monday.                   

The lowest temperature in the city was 6.3 degrees Celsius recorded on Jan. 18, 1961.

The temperature in Atok and the northern Benguet towns of Kibungan, Kabayan, Buguias, Mankayan and Kapangan is already lower than that of Baguio and continues to drop.

Bentrez said frost might damage crops in areas where there is little wind movement. To mitigate the effects of frost, some farmers in Benguet have installed overhead irrigation systems, while others have rotated their crop system. 

Benguet Gov. Nestor Fongwan said vegetable supply in the province is stable despite the frost.