‘Vegetable frost’ in Benguet not a cause of concern, agriculture official says

MANILA, Philippines — The Public Information Agency of Cordillera recently said frost continues to affect vegetables in some parts of Atok, Benguet due to the recent temperature drop.

Cherry Sano, municipal agricultural officer of Atok, Benguet, however, said frost occurrences are not a cause of concern, adding that it does not affect the vegetables.

Sano said the frost occurrences started last January 9.

Benguet Mayor Peter Alos, however, said farms in Sacduan, Englandad in Barangay Paoay, Atok, a low-lying area, began experiencing frost last December after the temperature started dropping.

Sano said frost occurrences were only observed in patches in creek areas and not in gardens.

“Wala pa po kaming reported na nasirang gulay. May mga frost occurrences lang po which started on January 9 pero manipis lang po siya at hindi po ganoon kalawak (There is no report on vegetable damage. There are just frost occurrences which started on January 9 but they are thin and not so wide),” Sano said in an interview with CNN Philippines.

Frost, locally known in Benguet as “andap,” occurs annually in some parts of Atok, Benguet during the cold season from December to February.

Vegetable prices unaffected

Despite this, the Department of Agriculture, local officials and agricultural agencies of local government units assured the public that frost is only a limited occurrence and would not affect the supply and prices of vegetables.

Sano said farmers in mountainous areas, often affected by frost, are ready with these occurrences since they have learned ways of countering it over the years to lessen its impact on vegetable farms.

“Alam na po ng farmers namin na on how to cope up with the frost po. ‘Yung mga areas na alam na po nila na frost-prone areas hindi na po nila tinataniman (Our farmers know how to cope with the frost. They know the frost-prone areas and they no longer plant there),” Sano said.

The agriculture official said farmers also plant vegetables that could adapt to frosts such as carrots and cabbage.

Sano said vegetables which grow during the cold weather are “more robust” and “tastier.”

The PIA cited that the DA and LGUs also constructed mini dams along a creek in Paoay and built greenhouses for frost intervention.

Frost, defined as “thin layer of ice on a solid surface, which forms from water vapor in an above freezing atmosphere coming in contact with a solid surface whose temperature is below freezing,” is often observed around 4 a.m.

PIA said frost dries up once the sun shines over the affected areas.

Last January 28, PIA said Baguio City recorded the lowest temperature of 9.8 degrees Celsius. It said that Atok’s temperature was estimated to be lower by three degrees Celsius than in Baguio. — Rosette Adel