Metro Manila (CNN Philippines)— Cold weather may be something most people in a tropical country like the Philippines are looking forward to. But sudden drop in temperature is such a serious situation for farmers.
Upland farmers said the quality of their crops suffer because of the unpredictable climate conditions in some areas in Benguet.
Some farms in Atok, Benguet have already experienced frosting.
This, the farmers said, has affected the growth of some vegetables that they harvest these past few days.
They added, if it weren’t for the strong winds the past few days, more frosting of crops would take place.
El Niño worsens situation
Water supply is also becoming a problem among farmers, who mostly rely on water pumps.
With the prevailing El Niño, farmers said most of the crops they harvest including carrots, cabbage and potatoes are smaller than normal.
But the supply and prices of the vegetables remain stable. To date, cabbage is at P25 to P32 per kilo, carrots at P15 to P18 per kilo and potatoes at P40 to P46 per kilo.
Strawberry growers also said they feel the impact of the sudden changes in the weather, especially when it rains.
According to retailers, the supply of strawberries went down by 30 percent in January. But despite these challenges, the price of strawberries remains stable at 200-300 pesos per kilo.
Vegetable farmers and strawberry growers are bracing for the stronger impact of El Niño come February to April. They said prices of their products could increase, especially if their production will be greatly affected by the El Niño.
