CAGAYAN DE ORO City — Bumper harvest of rice vegetables and high value crops enough to supply the demands in the coming “Ber” months (September, October, November and December) has begun flooding the regional vegetable landing market in West terminal in barangay Bulua this city, traders announced on Wednesday.

Willy Mapua, president of the Bulua vegetable landing Association, said that vegetable farmers in the region have begun harvesting their crops after a long drought last year.

He said after the onslaught of the El Niño last year the farmers have been preparing their lands and just waiting for the rain to plant their high value crops and vegetables which have only three to four months to harvest.

“When the rain finally came in May planting season began and we are now being flooded with products from the hinterlands,” he said.

Aside from vegetables the region is also expected to have a bumper rice harvest in accordance with the program launched by regional office of the Department of Agriculture in Northern Mindanao to pilot its five-year rice development program in the province of Bukidnon to help improve the agricultural production in the country.

The program dubbed as Masagana Rice Industry Development Program is formulated to address present challenges in the industry.