Baguio City: Cordillera farmers have the capacity to minimize the impact of possible frost phenomenon on crops with the help of various forms of government aid, an executive of the Department of Agriculture in the Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-CAR) said. Frost phenomenon occurs when temperatures drop usually during the first two months of the year.

According to Philippines News Agency, Aida Pagtan, chief of the DA-CAR Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Information Service (RAFIS), stated that farmers have been provided with equipment such as sprinklers, water hoses, PVC hoses, and watering pails to help mitigate the effects of frost. Farmers have also adapted by adjusting their schedules to better protect their crops.

Pagtan explained that farmers water their plants before sunrise to melt ice that forms on leaves and flowers, which prevents damage when the sun hits the plants. This practice helps transform the ice into water that drips to the soil, averting potential damage. She emphasized that farmers are well-versed in managing the frost phenomenon, which they have been experiencing for a long time.

The frost phenomenon is not widespread and affects a small land area in Atok and Mount Santo Tomas in Tuba, Benguet. Atok is a high-altitude town where temperatures are about 2 to 3 degrees Celsius lower than in Baguio City, with the lowest temperature in Baguio this year recorded at 11.8 degrees Celsius.

Pagtan noted that the Department of Agriculture continues to offer support in logistics, funding, and technical training to help farmers improve productivity. She clarified that these assistance programs aim to address both the challenges of frosting and the enhancement of farmers’ livelihoods.