Farmers Turn to Direct Sales Amid Cabbage Price Slump
By: Dave Leprozo, Jr.
Baguio City June 3, 2026 — For the past three months, wholesale trading prices for cabbage have remained at historic lows, forcing Benguet farmers to adopt self-help strategies and business-minded alternatives to survive.
Along busy thoroughfares, farmers now sell their produce directly to passing motorists. A 10-kilo bag of cabbage goes for ₱150, averaging ₱15 per kilo—a price that offers them modest relief compared to the losses incurred at trading centers.
“This way of selling is a welcome development for us,” said Jane Manuel, a farmer from Bangao, Buguias. “Instead of bearing heavy losses, we can at least recover a little. But we still appeal to government agencies to look into our plight.”
Despite President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s visit to the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center (BAPTC) last March 13, 2026, wholesale prices remain unchanged. Farmers say the situation underscores the urgent need for interventions that go beyond symbolic visits.
According to past reports, the cost of producing and trading cabbage—covering operations, harvest, and logistics—averages ₱7.50 per kilo. Direct roadside sales, while temporary, allow farmers to earn a small margin above production costs, offering a fragile lifeline in an otherwise bleak market.
