Benguet farmers face spoilage losses following typhoons Luis, Maymay

Agricultural dilemmas arose after the destructive effects of the southwest monsoon, along with the typhoons ‘Luis’ and ‘Maymay,’ which stirred up people’s reactions. 

Photos circulating online show mountains of dumped vegetables from Benguet farmers, where cabbages and carrots went to waste due to spoilage. Beyond the severe weather, the root causes behind this issue are high production costs and a lack of financial assistance to transport crops to market.

Days after the incident, the local government unit (LGU) responded by setting up a help desk to monitor the inflow and outflow of vegetable supplies in La Trinidad. The Department of Agriculture-Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-CAR) established this help desk at the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center, stating the initiative will help determine whether farmers and agricultural stakeholders require further government intervention.

However, temporary monitoring operations do not solve the core issue. Cash handouts and monitoring cannot offset the chronic profit struggles farmers face during the rainy season. The livelihood of these farmers relies on capital, hard work, and time invested in hopes of a good yield, only to be trapped in a repeating cycle of loss.

Vegetables in La Trinidad, Benguet are typically harvested in batches as they mature. But when heavy rainfall strikes, farmers are forced to harvest everything at once to salvage what they can before it rots.

Farmers in La Trinidad need sustained support before, during, and after the harvest—whether typhoons strike or not. High production costs and inadequate transport infrastructure are predictable, ongoing challenges. Combined with competition from imported produce and a lack of price stabilization measures, the agricultural crisis remains unchanged.

Preventive measures should have been established years ago. Until long-term solutions are prioritized, temporary cash assistance and supply monitoring will continue to fall short.