BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office Cordillera (DA-RFO CAR) continue to remind Benguet vegetable farmers and the public to monitor the latest official wholesale price trends of highland vegetables from the region through the official social media accounts of market trading centers to be guided accordingly.
The creation of vegetable trading centers like the Benguet Agri Pinoy Trading Center (BAPTC), and the Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Terminal (NVAT) recognized by the regional agriculture department was established for highland vegetable producing farmers in Benguet and other parts in the region for trading purposes at a competitive price.
The present wholesale price trends coming from the farmers market in BAPTC and NVAT showing the value of fresh fruits and vegetables at the peak of the growing season provides an avenue for farmers to gauge their production and harvesting process cycle.
As an example, for the month of December 2022 to the first week of January 2023, BAPTC recorded the price of cabbage-rareball to be as low as P30.00 to P35.00 per kilo. Carrots particularly the palaspasan recorded a high of P30.00 to P40.00, to a low of P25.00, while pili carrots recorded a high of P45.00 to P50.00 to a low of P35.00 per kilo for the said duration coming from the farmer to the trader.
NVAT’s December 28,2022 recorded the price of first-class cabbage at P30.00 to P35.00 per kilo, while second-class cabbage was recorded at P25.00 to P30.00 per kilo. The price of washed carrots were recorded at P35.00 to P40.00 per kilo, while unwashed carrots were recorded at P25.00 to P30.00.
In particular, potato granula (SXL-jumbo) were sold at a high of P130.00 per kilo to a low of P100.00 by the BAPTC, while NVAT sold potato super xl at a high of P140.00 to a low of P120 per kilo which was at a higher price in the same period last year.
The daily identified wholesale price trend between the farmer and trader posted on the official Facebook pages and accounts of BAPTC, and NVAT however will vary at a slightly higher price when marketed to other markets, as additional cost to cover expenses on trimming, sorting, cleaning, washing, packing, porting and transport services, packaging materials, and mark-up will have to be applied, aside from the availability of supply to fit the demand.
On a daily basis, the wholesale price trends are being posted on the social media accounts of BAPTC and NVAT, broadcast over radio station MPBC-DZWT, and shown over PTV Cordillera.