'Magtanim ay 'Di Biro,' dokumentaryo ni Kara David | I-Witness (with English subtitles)

Summary

In the cold Benguet Province, farmers face a harsh reality as they struggle with the gamble of cabbage farming. Despite months of hard work and a capital investment of 40,000 pesos, they often sell their produce at a loss due to low market prices influenced by factors like importation and oversupply. The script reveals the heartache of farmers like Janaret and Dandy, who, despite the odds, continue to farm in the hope of a better yield, highlighting the plight of those caught in the cycle of agricultural uncertainty.

Takeaways

• 🌡️ January and February are the coldest months in Benguet Province, affecting the cabbage harvest.
• 🌬️ The arrival of the cool northeast wind signals the maturity of cabbage plants, which are crucial for the farmers' livelihood.
• 👨‍🌾 Farmers in Buguias have invested significant time and labor in cultivating cabbages, but many end up discarded due to market conditions.
• 💰 The farmers' capital investment in cabbage farming is substantial, with a need to sell at a certain price to recoup costs.
• 🎰 Farming, particularly cabbage cultivation, is depicted as a gamble due to the unpredictability of market prices and buyer behavior.
• 🚜 Importation of vegetables like carrots affects local demand, leading to fewer buyers visiting Benguet and a drop in cabbage prices.
• 📉 The Department of Agriculture attributes the low prices to oversupply, but the local government suggests importation and smuggling as contributing factors.
• 📦 The trading process involves multiple steps and intermediaries, including disposers and packers, each taking a cut of the farmers' earnings.
• 🥬 Cabbage quality and size significantly impact the price they can fetch in the market, with first-class cabbages fetching higher prices.
• 📉 Despite the hard work and quality produce, farmers often sell their cabbages at a loss, with prices far below the break-even point.
• 🚚 Transportation costs and additional expenses, such as packaging and labor, further reduce the farmers' profits from cabbage sales.

Q & A

What are the coldest months in Benguet Province?

January and February are the coldest months in Benguet Province.

What is the significance of the cool northeast wind in Buguias?

The arrival of the cool northeast wind signals the maturity of the cabbage plants in Buguias.

How long do the farmers of Buguias typically care for their cabbage plants?

The farmers of Buguias typically care for their cabbage plants for five months.

What is the minimum amount Janaret needs to sell each kilo of cabbage to regain her capital?

Janaret needs to sell every kilo of cabbage for 20 pesos to regain her capital of 40,000 pesos.

What factors determine the price of cabbages at the market according to Janet?

According to Janet, the price of cabbages is determined not only by their condition but also by the buyers' willingness to pay, making this livelihood a gamble.

What impact does the importation of vegetables have on local farmers in Benguet?

Importation of vegetables like carrots affects local farmers in Benguet as buyers can get supplies in Manila and don't need to go up to Benguet, leading to a decrease in demand for local produce.

Why do some farmers in Buguias choose to discard their cabbages instead of selling them?

Some farmers in Buguias choose to discard their cabbages because the offered prices are too low, and the costs of transportation and labor would result in a loss.

What is the role of the 'por dia' in the selling process at the trading post?

The 'por dia' are men who repack the cabbage before they leave La Trinidad. They are paid 400 pesos for their work.

What is the break-even price for cabbage per kilo according to the farmers?

The break-even price for cabbage per kilo is 25 pesos and above, based on a good harvest.

How much did Dandy sell his four tons of cabbage for per kilo, and was it enough to cover his expenses?

Dandy sold his four tons of cabbage for 11 pesos per kilo, which was not enough to cover his expenses, resulting in a loss.

What is the final take-home amount for Janaret and her family after selling their cabbages and covering all expenses?

After selling their cabbages and covering all expenses, Janaret and her family are left with 6,400 pesos, which is not enough to cover their debts and living costs.

Outlines

00:00

🌬️ The Struggles of Cabbage Farmers in Benguet

The video script narrates the hardships faced by cabbage farmers in Buguias, Benguet Province, during the coldest months of January and February. Farmers, after five months of toil and investment, often find their cabbages discarded due to market fluctuations and low prices. Janaret, a farmer who inherited her land, illustrates the precarious nature of farming as a livelihood, where despite the effort put into cultivation, the final income is uncertain and sometimes results in loss. The script reveals the financial struggle to break even and the emotional toll of seeing one's labor go to waste.

05:11

📉 Oversupply and Market Dynamics Affecting Farmers

This paragraph delves into the issue of cabbage oversupply in Benguet and its impact on farmers like Dandy, who, despite having high-quality produce, faces low market prices. The local government suggests that importation and smuggling could be contributing factors to the market saturation. The narrative highlights the complex sale process involving disposers and purchasers, and the significant price disparities between the fields and the wet markets. The farmers' struggle to cover their costs, even with high-quality produce, is underscored by the low prices they receive, which are a fraction of what consumers pay.

10:13

💼 The Economic Reality of Cabbage Farming

The third paragraph examines the economic challenges faced by farmers in the sale of their cabbages. It details the various costs involved, such as the commission for disposers, the classification of cabbage quality, and the low prices offered by purchasers. The summary reveals the stark contrast between the farmers' break-even price and the actual market price, leading to significant financial losses. The narrative follows Janaret's husband, Juni, as he navigates the trading post, highlighting the economic disparity between the farmers' earnings and the final consumer prices.

15:16

📉 The Disparity Between Farm Gate and Market Prices

This section of the script explores the stark price differences between what farmers receive for their cabbages and what consumers pay in markets. It discusses the various expenses incurred by farmers, such as packaging materials and labor costs, which further reduce their profits. The summary reveals the heartbreaking reality of farmers like Janaret and Dandy, who, despite a successful harvest, earn significantly less than the cost of production, leading to a loss and the need to continue farming in the hope of better luck.

20:17

🏛️ The Impact of Market Forces on Farmers' Livelihoods

The fifth paragraph discusses the broader implications of market forces on the livelihoods of farmers in Buguias. It describes the emotional and financial burden of having to sell their produce at low prices or leave it to rot, as it is not worth the cost of transportation. The summary captures the farmers' reliance on hope and the harsh reality that their children may avoid the same fate through education. The script also touches on the irony that despite the hard work and care put into farming, the final product is undervalued and not profitable.

25:18

🌱 The Bitter Harvest: A Season of Loss for Farmers

The final paragraph of the script concludes with a somber reflection on the state of farming in Buguias. It highlights the irony that the season of harvest, typically a time of celebration, has become one of sadness and loss. The summary describes how farmers are forced to abandon their crops, turning them into compost due to the unprofitability of selling them. The narrative emphasizes that despite the lack of oversupply and the government's claims of normalcy, the real issue lies in the hands of people and the market dynamics that have failed the farmers.

Keywords

💡Benguet Province

Benguet Province is a region in the Philippines known for its cool climate, which is ideal for growing vegetables like cabbage. In the video, it is depicted as the setting where farmers face challenges due to the cold season and market fluctuations, affecting the cabbage harvest and sales.

💡Cabbage Harvest

The cabbage harvest refers to the process of gathering mature cabbage plants for sale. It is central to the video's narrative as it shows the hard work of farmers like Janaret and Dandy, who invest time and resources only to face low market prices and potential losses.

💡Oversupply

Oversupply in the context of the video refers to a situation where there is more cabbage available in the market than buyers are willing to purchase. This concept is a point of contention as it is suggested by some authorities as the cause for low cabbage prices, while others argue that importation and other factors may be at play.

💡Market Gamble

The term 'market gamble' captures the unpredictable nature of farming as a livelihood. It is used in the video to describe the uncertainty and risk involved in selling cabbages, where factors beyond the farmers' control, such as buyer behavior and market demand, can lead to financial loss despite a good harvest.

💡La Trinidad Trading Post

La Trinidad Trading Post is a location where farmers bring their cabbages to sell. It serves as a critical marketplace in the video, illustrating the disparity between the low prices farmers receive for their produce and the higher prices consumers pay elsewhere.

💡Peso

The peso is the currency of the Philippines. In the video, it is used to discuss the financial aspects of farming, such as the cost of production, the selling price of cabbage, and the income farmers hope to make. The fluctuation in peso values for cabbage highlights the economic challenges faced by the farmers.

💡Farming as a Livelihood

Farming as a livelihood is the main source of income for the farmers featured in the video. It is portrayed as a challenging occupation due to the volatile market and the dependence on environmental conditions. The video emphasizes the emotional and financial toll it takes on farmers when the fruits of their labor do not yield expected profits.

💡Importation

Importation in the video refers to the influx of foreign agricultural products, such as carrots, into the local market. It is suggested as one of the factors affecting the local cabbage market by drawing buyers away from traditional sources like Benguet, leading to an oversupply and price drops.

💡Cabbage Quality Classes

Cabbage quality classes categorize the produce based on factors like size, cleanliness, and appearance. In the video, different classes are associated with different prices, illustrating the nuanced pricing structure at the trading post and the impact of these classifications on farmers' earnings.

💡Compost

Compost in the video represents the unfortunate fate of cabbages that are not sold due to low market prices. Farmers are shown leaving their cabbages to rot and turn into compost, symbolizing the wasted effort and resources invested in growing them.

💡Debts

Debts are financial obligations that the farmers in the video are struggling to repay. The low income from cabbage sales makes it difficult for them to cover their expenses and repay loans, highlighting the precarious financial situation of small-scale farmers.

Highlights

January and February are the coldest months in Benguet Province, affecting cabbage plant maturity.

Farmers in Buguias have been planting cabbages for a long time, with a five-month care period.

Cabbage farming in Buguias is a family tradition, passed down through generations.

Janaret's family needs to sell cabbages at 20 pesos per kilo to regain their 40,000 peso capital investment.

The quality of cabbages and market conditions greatly affect the selling price.

Farming is described as a gamble due to unpredictable market prices and buyer behavior.

Oversupply and importation are cited as reasons for the low cabbage prices in the market.

Farmers face significant losses when cabbage prices drop, sometimes selling at a loss or discarding the produce.

The local government suggests that importation of vegetables affects local demand and prices.

Dandy, a former teacher turned farmer, questions the low market prices despite unchanged farming methods.

Farmers like Dandy face the dilemma of selling at a loss or discarding cabbages due to low market prices.

The trading post system involves multiple steps and intermediaries affecting the final price received by farmers.

Purchasing prices at the trading post are significantly lower than retail prices in markets.

Farmers are left with minimal profits after accounting for various expenses including transportation and labor.

Despite the hardships, farmers continue to farm out of necessity and the hope for better luck in the market.

The disparity between the low prices received by farmers and the high retail prices in cities is highlighted.

Janaret's family, after all expenses, is left with a fraction of their initial investment, illustrating the financial struggle.

The report from Cordillera and local government confirms no oversupply, contrary to earlier claims.

Farmers are left with the difficult decision to let their produce rot as compost due to unprofitable market prices.

The real enemies of farmers are not natural disasters but the market forces and human factors affecting their livelihoods.

Transcripts

January and February are the coldest months

in Benguet Province.

The arrival of the cool northeast wind

signals the maturity of the cabbage plants.

The farmers of Buguias

and took care of these cabbages for five months.

They tilled the land...

sowed seeds...

and took care them.

They toiled for five months and hoped.

But in the end...

many ended up discarded.

It was the peak of the cold season

when we went to Buguias in the province of Benguet

But despite the cold,

the farmers continued to harvest.

I'm heading to Jenaret's farm.

They're one of the families in Buguias

who have been planting cabbages for a long time now.

Janaret was just six years old

when she learned to plant vegetables.

She inherited this small plot of land on a mountainside

from her ancestors.

Hello, Ma'am.

Are you selling today?

Tomorrow, Ma'am.

How much was your capital?

Around 40,000 pesos.

To regain the capital of 40,000 pesos,

they need to sell every kilo of cabbage for 20 pesos.

That's why Janaret carefully selects the cabbages

they'll bring to the market.

But it's not just the condition of the cabbage

that dictates its price.

Janet says this livelihood is a gamble.

Sometimes, no matter how good the quality

of your harvest is,

you can still go home

with a loss if you encounter stingy buyers.

Some luck out and get good prices

but if you plant late,

then that could mean you'll be stiffed.

But we don't really know.

It's a gamble.

What is a gamble?

Farming. We're just always hoping to hit the jackpot.

A matter of chance?

Yes, Ma'am.

They said they've had bad luck in the market for months now.

But because their cabbage harvest are good today,

Janaret is hoping that maybe luck will finally find them.

If they get lucky,

they'll be able to sell their cabbages for 20 pesos per kilo.

They'll make 40,000 pesos so they'll break even.

But if they're unlucky,

they'll only get 10 pesos

or even less per kilo.

That's a very big loss for them.

They packed nearly three tons of first class cabbages

for La Trinidad Trading Post.

I hope this will finally come back

with good tidings for her family.

Before we left Janaret,

we saw some kids playing in the field.

Too bad this will just go to waste, ma'am.

That will become fertilizer.

- What? - That will become fertilizer.

Only fertilizer?

Yes, when it rots.

You can't sell this?

Buyers will be stingy over that at the trading post, Ma'am.

Especially if it's small.

Janaret said buyers in La Trinidad

are very picky these days.

They push for a really low price if the size is not accurate.

So instead of selling them, they opt to just throw them.

Anyone would feel a great loss over seeing tons of cabbages

worth 30,000 pesos to 50,000 pesos

thrown out as garbage.

No one wanted to buy them.

And the price offered was so low

that's why we opted to just take them back.

Benguet farmers have had the supposed problem

of cabbage oversupply for months now.

According to authorities,

only a few buyers go up so there are a lot of leftover cabbage.

The unsold cabbage is just thrown on the side of the road.

If you ask the Department of Agriculture,

they blame the oversupply to farmers planting too much of it.

But is oversupply the real reason

why farmers are getting pinched?

The local government has different view.

Importation has an effect.

Vegetables like carrots are entering our country.

So, buyers don't go up anymore to Benguet

because they can get supply in Manila.

Dandy spent several years studying

how to farm vegetables in Buguias.

A former public school teacher,

Dandy decided to become a farmer

to enrich the land he inherited from his parents.

Like other farmers,

Dandy is wondering why the price of cabbage

is so low in the market

when they did not change anything

in their farming process.

In the past,

they used to be able to sell a kilo for 20 pesos.

Back then, we went directly with our produce

to the warehouse of the buyers.

Yes.

All our vegetables are purchased.

We didn't return with any or throw them away.

Now, it's as if we're just giving them away.

Why do you say that?

What's different now?

There are no more buyers.

So, we either just let them rot in the trucks

or throw them on the road side.

If we bring them back to use as compost,

the trip will incur a big crude expense.

Dandy harvested four tons of cabbage from his farm.

Each cabbage is of first class quality,

grown in the good climate of Benguet

and cared for with fertilizer.

Hopefully, they can recoup their expenses.

The next day,

the vegetables were transported early to La Trinidad.

The trip took four hours.

I hoped the vegetables didn't bruise in the journey.

I became a little worried

when I saw the amount of cabbages in the trading post.

Is this what they call the oversupply?

Will Dandy and Janeret sell their cabbage?

Mostly cabbages and potatoes...

I thought they only needed to talk to one person

to sell their produce.

But I learned that several steps need to be followed

before a sale is made.

There is the disposer who offers the cabbage

to buyers or purchasers.

You can't go directly to buyers.

How about the money you earn?

You need to stop by the disposer

and for every kilo you sell,

they get a one peso commission.

How much do you think that will sell for?

Cabbage sells for 10 pesos a kilo today.

10 pesos?

Why 10 pesos?

It depends on the amount that arrives.

If there's a lot of vegetables, prices really fall.

If there's few, prices go up.

This is 10 pesos?

As long as it's green

and the leaves are still attached?

- Yes. - And this?

This is what we call second class.

This is second class?

That will fetch for 6 pesos or 7 pesos or 8 pesos.

There's something lower than 7 pesos?

Yes.

What does that look like?

- Similar. - Now there's a third class...

What does third class look like?

Similar but lower quality.

It will go for 3 pesos.

What? 3 pesos only? Why just 3 pesos?

That's the way it is.

There's nothing we can do.

It's a gamble.

People will ask, "how come it's so cheap in Benguet

but here it's expensive?."

The vegetables have to be transported.

Just because it's 4 pesos here, it's also 4 pesos there.

How will our bosses make money to pay for our salaries?

Rudy is one of the purchasers.

They bring the cabbages to sell to wet markets in Divisoria.

He's an expert in haggling for lower prices.

What's the selling price today?

There's 12, 8 pesos and 7 pesos.

It depends on the quality of the vegetables.

How about these?

That's first class.

We can't say they're bad

but they won't pass the orders I received.

Too big?

No. It's not clean and there's something.

Once the purchaser and disposer agree on a price,

the men called "por dia" come in.

They will repack the cabbage

before they leave La Trinidad.

Each are paid 400 pesos.

I only had one question

after I learned the low haggling prices at the trading post,

will there be something left for the farmer at the end?

What would be the break-even price?

On a good harvest,

the break-even price for cabbage

would be 25 pesos and above.

25 pesos per kilo?

Yes, hopefully.

But the actual price that day

was far from the 25 pesos per kilo they hoped for.

Dandy's four tons of cabbage

was only sold for 11 pesos per kilo.

So yours was bought for 11 pesos?

- Yes, Ma'am. - And that's okay with you?

Yes. But it's not enough.

I opted for it because otherwise

they'll just rot in the farm or left behind here.

You'll just make do with that price?

Yes.

We'll just try again.

Maybe the price will be higher next time.

If Dandy's cabbage only sold for 11 pesos,

I wondered how Janaret fared?

We still have something left.

Something have left? How much is it?

Her husband Juni was in-charge of selling their cabbages.

He waited for a whole day at the trading post before

he found a buyer.

The result...

he sold his cabbages for 10 pesos per kilo.

Some haggled for as low as 7 pesos.

Then of course, there's the commission.

You sold it for 10 pesos but your take home is 9 pesos?

- Yes. - Then this is 6 pesos.

That's what our boss said.

How much did they buy it for earlier, 7 pesos?

6 pesos.

So, what's the total?

22,815 pesos.

Juni made a total of 222,815 pesos.

I thought he'd be able to bring that home to Janaret but...

What expenses?

Paper used.

The paper cost.

The paper cost 4,000 pesos?

Paper and plastic.

Newspaper, plastic and?

The por dia, the men who packed.

The packers.

The plastic and paper are expensive.

The plastic and paper are expensive?

The paper cost 1,100 pesos.

1,100 pesos for newspaper?

It's only a newspaper, huh.

Plastic at 1,000 pesos.

1,000 pesos just for plastic?

Yes. 1,000...

Then the por dia?

- Four. - 1,600 pesos.

- Only four. - 1,600 pesos?

So how much is the total expenses?

- 4,400. - 4,400?

So what will be their take home?

We've subtracted.

18,000 pesos? 18,000 pesos, Sir.

But Juni's obligation doesn't end here.

He needs to pay the truck that delivered the cabbages.

9,500 pesos, right?

9,500 pesos. Does that include oil?

Yes.

I looked at what's left in Juni's hand.

And I remembered the work Janeret

put into every cabbage planted.

How much is left with you?

- 8,820 pesos? - 8,700. 8,820 pesos?

Who else do you need to pay?

- The harvesters? - Yes.

How many?

- 12. - 12?

How much each?

- 200 pesos. - 200 pesos?

2,400 pesos? 2,400 pesos.

8,800 pesos?

8,800 pesos minus 2,400 pesos...

6,400 pesos will be left with you.

Just to buy rice.

It's really a loss.

We'll just have to plant again.

Plant again?

Yes.

Maybe we'll get lucky.

Their capital was 40,000 pesos.

They toiled for five months.

In the end, all their labor will be haggled down

and end up with just 6,000 pesos.

Not far from La Trinidad Trading Post,

there's a wet market that sells cabbages.

When I asked them what the price was,

I learned that a kilo there sells for 25 pesos.

And when we went down to Baguio City...

How much is the cabbage?

50 pesos per kilo.

50 pesos?

Baguio is only an hour away from La Trinidad

but the original price of 10 pesos pero kilo of cabbage

already went up to 50 pesos.

Why is it cheaper at the trading post?

Yes. Before it gets here, it's been passed several times.

- Oh! - Just like this.

I ordered from one of our suppliers there.

- Yes. - He padded the price.

But this is from the trading post?

Yes, this is from the trading post.

We have labor cost in removing the leaves.

We buy that with the leaves.

So, when you buy, they're still wrapped in leaves?

Yes, then we clean them.

Okay, you clean them.

That's why it becomes 50 pesos here.

It's probably more expensive in Manila.

Yes.

In the wet markets in Manila,

the price per kilo is 80 to 100 pesos.

Does Janaret know their product is priced this much?

What will you feel if after five months of intense labor,

the produce that you cared for so much

only fetched 10 pesos per kilo?

You think about how hard the labor was

and you even got the kids to help.

The low price is kind of insulting, Ma'am.

Because...

you expected a good price, but what did we end up with?

This is not the first time Janaret lost money in the sale.

For the sake of her children,

they know they can't stop farming.

Why do you continue to farm?

Even if things have turned out this way,

we still hope that we get the chance to be able to pay

our debts.

It's really a gamble, Ma'am.

How much do you owe?

Going maybe to 200.

Oh, no. 200,000?

Yes, Ma'am.

How will you pay your 200,000 pesos debt?

We have to continue farming

and hope for luck...

that we'll be able to pay.

There's a saying that a person who knows how to farm

will not go hungry.

But it seems this is not true for the farmers in Buguias.

This is why Janaret is working hard

to put her children through school.

They dream that someday

their children will escape the fate of tilling the land.

There's nowhere else we can go to, Ma'am.

There's nowhere else.

We don't want to steal or...

do bad...

- Do bad things? - Yes.

So, we'll just endure all of this.

In going around Buguias,

I learned that Janeret is not the only one

who suffered bad luck.

At the foot of a hill,

we came across what could be described as a cabbage cemetery.

Farmers worked hard on growing these cabbages

for five months.

But because they know they'll just lose money

if they sell this in the trading post,

some farmers in Buguias just opt

to leave the product of their labor to rot here.

In our culture,

the season of harvest is a season for celebration.

But today, this is a season for sadness.

They have to bury the cabbage that they labored to grow.

What will you do to these cabbages?

Will you sell them?

No. They'll be fertilizer.

How?

As compost.

So, you'll just let them rot?

Yes.

You won't sell them?

Why not?

The price is too low.

Because the price is too low.

How much will they fetch in the market?

2 pesos.

Why just two bucks?

What did they say?

The big ones are oversized.

The big ones are oversized?

If their cabbage will fetch only 2 pesos per kilo,

they won't even make enough

to pay the delivery truck and gasoline.

There won't be enough for transportation.

And?

Then you still have to pay the por dia

who will carry the produce to the vehicles.

- Yes. - It's worth one peso.

- It's worth one peso? - Yes.

You'll lose money?

Yes.

Why would you bother to harvest...

if no one will buy?

The season of harvest...

has also become the season of tilling.

Which includes turning into compost

the cabbage that they worked hard to grow for five months.

According to the report

from the regional field office in Cordillera

and the local government,

it was confirmed that there was no oversupply

of primary vegetables in Baguio Trading Center

and in La Trinidad.

In fact, there's a reduction in production in 2023

if you compare it to 2022.

We tried to ask the opinion of the Department of Agriculture,

but they refused to make a statement.

On January 8,

the Department of Agriculture

released news that the price of cabbage

is back to normal.

There is no oversupply

because all the cabbages in the wet markets are sold.

Now I understand why only a few vegetables

are brought to trading posts.

It's because instead of harvesting them,

they are left to rot.

Until now,

the government could not explain the real reason

for the price drop of cabbages.

Some blamed the farmers for planting too much.

Some suspected smuggling.

And some said this is the result of importation

from other countries.

Whatever the reason,

only one thing is sure...

farmers are the only losers in this situation.

The people who worked hard in the fields

will go home in tears.

I used to think that pests and typhoons

are the only enemies of farmers.

But after witnessing what happened

to the farms in Buguias...

I learned that the real enemies

are neither the pests or typhoons.

The bigger enemies...

are people.

I am Kara David,

and this is I-Witness.