AGTATAKAW TI CARROTS: Thief steals over 300 Kilos of Carrots worth ₱24,000 in Benguet

Buguias, Benguet – Around 300 to 400 kilos of ready-to-harvest carrots worth approximately ₱24,000 were stolen from a farm in Barangay Amgaleyguey, Buguias on the night of October 29, leaving two farmers devastated after discovering the loss early the next morning.

For small farmers like Jeffrey Calpo of Itogon, every kilo of produce represents their livelihood, making the theft of nearly their entire carrot crop a severe blow.

In an interview with Bombo Radyo Baguio, Calpo said the suspects are believed to have entered the garden through a small private road near Halsema Highway, where they uprooted carrots that were almost ready for sale.

Calpo recounted that they were shocked when his co-farmer informed him through a text message that their crops had been stolen overnight.

“Ti nasakit met idiay, haan ko bagi ajay—adda kadwak ng makin bagi idiay. Nasapa kami nga napan nag-harvest di kalman. Ket diay makin mula met idiay natakaw ket nagtext piman kunana, ‘Manung, natakawan ta diay carrot. Pinarot da di rabii.’ Ket siyempre madi met riknak idiay en,” he said.

(What’s painful is that it wasn’t only mine—my partner’s crops were taken too. We had planned to harvest the next day, but my partner texted me saying, ‘Manong, the carrots were stolen last night.’ Of course, it was heartbreaking.)

The victims, residents of Itogon, Benguet, said the stolen carrots were already set for harvest and were to be sold at the La Trinidad Trading Post for around ₱60 per kilo. Calpo added that the incident caused a major setback to their livelihood, as farming is their only source of income.

“… di kwa, alas dose di kalman, nalpas ti parot mi, napan ko kinita ket grabe met piman— makasangit kami ta daytoy tabtrabahuen mi ditoy ket hanmi bagi. Agab-abang kami lang ditoy ta haan kami met nga taga ditoy— dayo kami ditoy. Taga Itogon kami, banda Labilab-Loacan,” he added.

(Yesterday around noon, we finished our work and went to check, and we were in tears—this farm work is all we have. We’re just renting here; we’re not from this area. We’re from Itogon, near Labilab-Loacan.)

Calpo said he initially told his friend to file an official report with the barangay but later decided against it, thinking it was unnecessary since some of the crops were left untouched.

“Imbagak met idiay nakin bagi nga i-report mi ti barangay ngem kunana piman nga saanen ta adda met nabati kanu… ta di kinita mi ket adda pay kasla 30 kilos nga nabati ket mayat diay panagbagas nan ket iyur-uray mi lang kuma ti presyo daytoy Novembor kuma ket ney naun-unaan kamin met,” he said.

(I told my partner we should report it to the barangay, but he said not to since there were still some left—about 30 kilos. We were supposed to wait for the price to increase this November, but they got to it before we did.)

The Itogon farmer urged fellow farmers in Buguias to be more vigilant, noting that crop theft cases have been occurring more frequently in the area.

“Bantayan tayo ti mulmula tayo—karkaru ti patatas kada repolyo ta isu emt tin angina tani delikado met. Sabalin ti agan-ani. Ket nu datayo met nga iBuguias hantayon nga takawan ti mulan ti kakadwa tayo nga iBuguias,” he said.

(Let’s watch over our crops, especially potatoes and cabbages, since they’re valuable and easily stolen. And as Buguias farmers ourselves, we should not steal from our fellow farmers.)