Highland vegetable supply remains stable for holiday season despite transport challenges

BAGUIO CITY — The vegetable supply for the Holiday Season remains adequate, based on monitoring by the Department of Agriculture (DA) Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD).

DA Cordillera Regional Executive Director Jennilyn Dawayan said many farmers have planted crops following the recent typhoons. She noted that no shortage in supply has been observed, particularly for highland vegetables, and wholesale prices remain favorable.

However, she admitted that a key concern is the transport of produce due to heavy traffic. To address this, AMAD is strengthening the implementation of the “food lane” express system by issuing certifications.

The certification is intended to help vegetable farmers and traders avoid citations and delays while transporting produce to other areas, such as the National Capital Region (NCR). The agency also observed that the prices of certain vegetables typically decrease early in the year, particularly in February and March, as most farmers are able to plant successfully toward the end of the previous year when typhoons are minimal, resulting in increased supply.

Dawayan added that while some areas were affected by Typhoon Uwan, farmers have already planted and are expected to harvest—especially leafy vegetables—by February and March.

Meanwhile, the DA is awaiting the release of the Disaster Quick Response Fund (QRF) this December for farmers affected by typhoons from Crising to Paolo. Dawayan clarified that once the funds are received, the bidding process will be immediately initiated to ensure aid and interventions reach affected farmers by January 2026.