BY: ANGELICA ARQUERO
A month before Valentine’s Day, Geraldine is busy tending her flower farm in Barangay Bahong, La Trinidad, Benguet.
She shared that preparing for Valentine’s is an annual task for cut-flower farmers.
Geraldine Kayat, a farmer, stated, “We set aside flowers for Valentine’s, sunflowers and a few roses, especially red ones, which are intended for Valentine’s.”
During this season, wholesalers from areas like Manila and Nueva Ecija begin purchasing flowers.
However, due to the cold weather brought by the northeast monsoon, the growth of flowers has slowed significantly.
“When it’s cold, the flowers bloom slower compared to when it’s warm, where they bloom faster,” Kayat added.
This raises concerns among farmers about whether their crops will be ready in time for the anticipated demand.
Barangay Bahong in La Trinidad is one of Benguet’s primary flower suppliers.
Farmers are preparing for the upcoming Panagbenga Festival and Valentine’s Day.
Farmers are doing their best to meet the demand despite the challenges.
According to Christopher Suhat, Barangay Captain of Bahong, La Trinidad, “Farmers are feeding their plants for Valentine’s and Panagbenga. They’re preparing their flowers for harvest.”
They assure the public that there will be enough flowers.
“I believe there will be an ample supply of flowers for February and Panagbenga,” Suhat added.
The flower farms also attract tourists, who visit for the cool weather and picturesque flower fields.
Babylyn Rogel, a tourist, expressed, “We’ve been wanting to visit Baguio, and this was on our bucket list. We finally had time to come here, and it’s breathtaking.”
“It’s beautiful. It feels good to see the fresh flowers,” said Estel Moorhead, a tourist.
For now, farmers cannot predict the prices of flowers, but they expect them to rise in early February.