It’s a big loss for Tatay Johny, whose strawberry farm in La Trinidad, Benguet, was flooded due to Typhoon Pepito.

Tatay Johny is just one of many farmers added to the list by the Provincial Agriculture Office who suffered damages from the typhoon.

“From Typhoon Kristine to Typhoon Leon, Marcee, and Pepito, we’ve had more or less 1,000 farmers with damage costing over 30 million for Typhoon Kristine, and 600+ farmers with 11 million worth of damage for Typhoon Leon,” said Delinia Juan, Benguet Provincial Agriculturist.

Currently, consolidation efforts for damaged crops are ongoing, as the weather is improving.

Because of this, vegetable prices in Benguet are expected to rise.

“It’s a normal trend as December approaches, the prices of vegetables usually go up in December, the peak season, because they’re rushing to meet the Christmas season,” Juan mentioned.

The vegetables that usually see price increases are leafy vegetables like cabbage, wombok, lettuce, and celery.

According to Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center, potatoes that were priced from 20 to 67 pesos last week are now ranging from 20 to 75 pesos per kilo.

Carrots now range from 25 to 130 pesos per kilo, up from 15 to 100 pesos.

The price of radishes has almost doubled, now ranging from 20 to 70 pesos per kilo, depending on the type.

Chayote is now priced from 8 to 23 pesos, up from 5 to 18 pesos per kilo last week.

Lettuce has also doubled in price, now ranging from 80 to 100 pesos per kilo, from 50 to 90 pesos.

Cabbage, which was 15 to 40 pesos, is now priced from 20 to 53 pesos.

Onion leeks have decreased by nearly 20 pesos, now priced between 30 and 50 pesos per kilo.

Celery remains at 30 to 50 pesos per kilo.

According to the Provincial Agriculture Office, vegetable prices will likely remain high for a few weeks, but the situation is expected to stabilize next year.

**VANESSA BUGTONG